@ISIDEWITHQuestionsForeign policyStarted 1yr agoActive 6hrs ago

Should there be restrictions on government arms sales to countries accused of committing human rights violations?

The United Nations defines human rights violations as deprivation of life; torture, cruel or degrading treatment or punishment; slavery and forced labor; arbitrary arrest or detention; arbitrary interference with privacy; war propaganda; discrimination; and advocacy of racial or religious hatred. In 1997 the U.S. Congress passed the “Leahy Laws” which cutoff security aid to specific units of foreign militaries if the Pentagon and the State Department determine a country has committed a gross violation of human rights, such as shooting civilians or summarily executing prison…  

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Answer Overview

Response rates from 141 Liberalism voters.

94%
Yes
6%
No
91%
Yes
2%
No
4%
Yes, and ban all sales to countries with human rights violations
4%
No, this could prevent our allies from defending themselves against our mutual enemies
0%
Yes, but I would prefer a ban on all military aid to any foreign countries

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Trend of support over time for each answer from 141 Liberalism voters.

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Trend of how important this issue is for 141 Liberalism voters.

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Other Popular Answers

Unique answers from Liberalism voters whose views went beyond the provided options.

 @B46V7MRfrom Alberta  answered…4wks4W

Most Canadians cannot even agree on who our allies are and who they ought to be. For instance, it would be preferable to arm and facilitate Russia in the conflict in Ukraine, as it is likely to bring the conflict to a close faster, potentially with fewer deaths

 @B4V2HBTfrom Alberta  answered…6hrs6H

Yes there should be restrictions, but somehow they end up getting weapons anyway, so what do you do?

 @B4TXJ28 answered…8hrs8H

Yes and i would prefer a ban on all foreign countries unless we have a agrrement of defense with them

 @B4SLS4Yfrom British Columbia  answered…2 days2D

Yes, I believe there should be restrictions—with a clear, transparent process for reviewing who Canada sells arms to. Human rights should be a core part of our foreign policy. That said, it should be nuanced: not every accusation is equal, so decisions should be based on solid evidence and include room for diplomatic pressure or reforms.

 @B48VY3Bfrom New York  answered…4wks4W

Yes there should be if we are sure these accusations come from legitimate sources and are not concocted. We must also consider that most, if not all countries have been accused of committing human rights violations to some degree.

 @B3V76NJfrom Ontario  answered…1mo1MO

Yes but I think that this should be a case by case basis and there is a difference between a country being accused of something vs being found to have committed violations.

 @B2XR6VFfrom Ontario  answered…2mos2MO

I don't support making any decisions on "accusations". Accusation is not guilt. Current politics, and more specifically propaganda makes it very difficult to tell what accusations are likely to be real, and those that have a political agenda.

 @B2SWR5Qfrom Ontario  answered…3mos3MO

In general yes, however any accusations of Israel violating national law are false, there fore I believe it arms sales need to be examined on a case by case basis.

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 @ISIDEWITH submitted…6mos6MO

Trump hits ‘nasty’ Michelle Obama at Atlanta rally

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 @ISIDEWITH submitted…5mos5MO

Texas Offers Trump 1,400 Acres for His Mass Deportation Dream

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Active 2 days ago

 @ISIDEWITH submitted…6mos6MO

Trump’s Puerto Rico Problem Erupts in Pennsylvania: Latino Voters Fire Back

Donald Trump has a serious Puerto Rico problem — in Pennsylvania.Many Puerto Rican voters in the state are furious about racist and demeaning comments delivered at a Trump rally. Some say their dismay is giving Kamala Harris a new opening to win over the state’s Latino voters, particularly nearly half a million Pennsylvanians of Puerto Rican descent.Evidence of the backlash was immediate on Monday: A nonpartisan Puerto Rican group drafted a letter urging its members to oppose Trump on election day. Other Puerto Rican voters were lighting up WhatsApp chats with reactions to the vulgar display and raising it in morning conversations at their bodegas. Some are planning to protest Trump’s rally Tuesday in Allentown, a majority-Latino city with one of the largest Puerto Rican populations in the state.And the arena Trump is speaking at is located in the middle of the city’s Puerto Rican neighborhood.“It’s spreading like wildfire through the community,” said Norberto Dominguez, a precinct captain with the local Democratic party in Allentown, who noted his own family is half Republican and half Democratic voters.“It’s not the smartest thing to do, to insult people — a large group of voters here in a swing state — and then go to their home asking for votes,” Dominguez said.The timing couldn’t be worse for Trump. Almost a week before Election Day, he’s pushing to cut into Harris’ margins among Latinos, especially young men who are worried about the economy. But the comments from pro-Trump comedian Tony Hinchcliffe Sunday night, referring to Puerto Rico as a “floating island of garbage,” has reverberated throughout Pennsylvania and elsewhere, prompting even the former president’s Republican allies to defend the island and denounce the comments. And with the race essentially a toss up, every vote counts — especially in Pennsylvania.“This was just like a gift from the gods,” said Victor Martinez, an Allentown resident who owns the Spanish language radio station La Mega, noting some Puerto Rican voters in the area have been on the fence about voting at all.

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