Canada is concerned about the threats posed by missile proliferation, especially the continued rise in the number of indigenous development programs and new exporters. The proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) and their means of delivery (e.g. missiles, UAVs), combined with the changing character of the international security environment, is creating more challenges for members of the international community to address.

Canada's approach on missile proliferation is based on direct engagement with potential missile proliferators, promotion of multilateral arms control mechanisms and a strict regime of missile-related export controls. Through this approach, Canada is working with like-minded states to address the threats posed by the proliferation of WMD and their means of delivery, in a manner that reflects Canada's longstanding policies on disarmament and strategic stability. In this regard, Canada is a founding member of the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR), which was established in 1987 to counter the threat posed by proliferation of unmanned delivery systems (e.g. missiles, UAVs) for WMD. More recently, Canada also played an instrumental role in the creation of the Hague Code of Conduct against Ballistic Missile Proliferation (HCOC).

The MTCR is an informal and voluntary association of countries which share the goals of non-proliferation of unmanned delivery systems for weapons of mass destruction, and which seeks to coordinate national export licensing efforts aimed at preventing their proliferation. The group was originally established in 1987, and the number of partners has increased steadily from 7 to a present total of 34 countries. The Regime rests on adherence to common export policy guidelines (The MTCR Guidelines) applied to an integral common list of controlled items (The MTCR Equipment and Technology Annex). The MTCR does not take export licensing decisions as a group. Rather, individual partners are responsible for implementing the Guidelines and Annex on the basis of sovereign national discretion and in accordance with national legislation and practice. Partners regularly exchange information about relevant national export licensing issues in the context of the Regime's overall aims. The MTCR is the only multilateral arrangement dealing with ballistic and cruise missile and other WMD delivery vehicle systems and related equipment, material and technology.

As Chair of the MTCR for 2001-2002, Canada hosted the Regime's Plenary meeting in Ottawa in September 2001. At the Plenary meeting, it was agreed that the draft International Code of Conduct (ICOC) would be released to a transparent and inclusive forum for negotiation by all states on the basis of equality, in order to establish a universalized set of principles, commitments, confidence-building measures and incentives against missile proliferation. Following extensive consultations with MTCR and non-MTCR states that were led by the European Union, the ICOC was opened for subscription at the Hague in November 2002. Canada was one of 106 states that had subscribed to what became the Hague Code of Conduct against Ballistic Missile Cooperation.

The HCOC is a politically-binding agreement whereby subscribers agree to prevent and curb the proliferation of ballistic missiles. Subscribers to the Code commit to exercising maximum possible restraint in the development, testing and deployment of ballistic missiles, and where possible to reducing national holdings of such missiles. Subscribers to the Code also commit themselves to two confidence building measures: 1) an annual declaration on ballistic missile and space programmes and policies (Canadian Declaration); and 2) pre-launch notifications on the launches of missiles and space vehicles. A copy of the Code and more details are available on the Austrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (which serves as the HCOC Executive Secretariat) website at: http://www.bmaa.gv.at/view.php3?f_id=54&LNG=en&version;=.

As of January 2006, 123 states from all regions of the world have already subscribed to the HCOC. A priority for HCOC subscribers is the further universalization of the Code. This universalization principle was included in both the 2004 and the 2005 United Nations General Assembly resolutions which were both adopted with overwhelming support.

Canada is also convinced that the international community needs to look at new approaches - both within and outside the MTCR and the HCOC - that focus on developing new global measures to build confidence and norms on missile activity. In this regard, Canada advocates pro-active engagement on missile proliferation questions in all pertinent multilateral fora, including the UN.