Foreign Affairs Minister Pierre Pettigrew today tabled in Parliament Canada’s first annual report under the G8-led Global Partnership Against the Spread of Weapons and Materials of Mass Destruction. The report, entitled Global Partnership Program—Securing the Future, covers Canada’s first two years of activities after the launch of the Global Partnership in 2002.

The report notes the significant progress achieved by Canada in the priority areas of the Global Partnership: the destruction of chemical weapons; the dismantlement of decommissioned nuclear submarines; nuclear and radiological security and the redirection of former weapons scientists. There has also been progress made in the area of biological non-proliferation.

“Canada’s achievements, outlined in this inaugural report, demonstrate our strong commitment to the Global Partnership,” said Mr. Pettigrew. “Canada has moved quickly in undertaking concrete projects and has been instrumental in furthering the initiative. Canadians can be proud of the critical contribution this country has made to this important and unique non-proliferation and disarmament initiative. The Global Partnership is another concrete example of an area in which Canada can make a real difference internationally.”

The Global Partnership Program was launched at the 2002 G8 Kananaskis Summit. Canada was instrumental in the decision by G8 countries to address terrorist and proliferation threats posed by large stockpiles of weapons or materials of mass destruction in Russia and the former Soviet Union and by tens of thousands of underemployed former weapons scientists. Leaders of G8 countries committed to raise up to US$20 billion over 10 years for this purpose.

Canada agreed to contribute up to $1 billion over 10 years to the Global Partnership and has developed a comprehensive framework of legal, financial and program management instruments to allow the program to move ahead in a fully accountable manner. A whole-of-government approach has been applied involving two dozen departments and agencies in project review and provision of policy advice.

The 2005 Global Partnership Program Annual Report is available on the following Web page.

For further information, media representatives may contact:

James Christoff
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Foreign Affairs
(613) 995-1851

Media Relations Office
Foreign Affairs Canada
(613) 995-1874
http://www.international.gc.ca