Canada and weapons of mass destruction
Canada does not possess any weapons of mass destruction and is one of the world's nations most committed to limiting the spread of such weapons and has signed treaties repudiating possession of them. Canada ratified the Geneva Protocol in 1930.
Nuclear Weapons
Canada has long been closely linked with the United States' nuclear weapons program. The Manhattan Project saw Canadians scientists help, and the uranium used came from Canadian mines. After the war Canada became a world leader in nuclear research focused on the Chalk River test reactor. While Canada was focused on the peaceful use of nuclear technology, Canadian research was shared freely with the United States and played an important role in the continued development of American nuclear weapons.
With the launch of Sputnik and the new threat from Soviet missiles Canada decided to purchase the BOMARC defensive missile system. While Prime Minister John Diefenbaker agreed to buy the missiles he balked at also taking the nuclear warheads that were needed to make the system useful. Accepting nuclear weapons into Canada became the central issue of the 1963 Canadian election, which saw the pro-nuclear Lester B. Pearson's Liberals defeat the Diefenbaker government. On January 8, 1969, Canada ratified the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.
From the 1960s to 1984 there were American nuclear weapons in Canada. These were under the dual-key rules whereby both Canadian and American authorities had to authorize a launch. Pierre Trudeau, Pearson's successor, was opposed to these missiles and in the 1971 declared Canada a non-nuclear state. The missiles were moved out of Canada. Some aircraft borne weapons were maintained, but these were removed in 1984.
While there are no more permanently stationed nuclear weapons Canada continues to allow nuclear armed American planes and naval vessels to use Canadian facilities.
Chemical Weapons
During both the First World War and Second World War Canada was an important producer and developer of chemical weapons for the Allied war effort. These were used in combat in WWI, but were not used in WWII. This left Canada with large stockpiles of chemical weapons. Soon after the war Canada moved away from chemical weapons and had to devote a great deal of effort to safely destroying them. Canada ratified the Chemical Weapons Convention on September 26, 1995.
Biological Weapons
Canada has never had much of a biological warfare research program and has long condemned such weapons. Most Canadian research has involved developing protections against biowarfare attacks. Canada has thus experimented with such things as weaponized anthrax, but maintains no military stockpiles of such agents. Canada ratified the Biological Weapons Convention on September 18, 1972.
Disarmament
Canada with its strong belief in multilateralism has long been a strong advocate of arms limitation treaties. Canada is a member of every international disarmament organization and is committed to pushing for an end to nuclear weapons testing, reduction in nuclear arsenals, a ban on all chemical and biological weapons, bans on the weponization of outer space, and blocks on nuclear proliferation.
Canada maintains a division of its Foreign Affairs department devoted to pursuing these ends. It also dedicates significant resources in trying to verify that current treaties are being obeyed, passing much information on the United Nations. In the 1970s Canada discussed building a reconnaissance satellite to monitor adherence to such treaties, but these plans were shelved.
Canada continues to be a leader in peaceful nuclear technology exemplified by the CANDU reactor. One advantage to the CANDU is that its fuel and waste cannot be used to produce weapons. CANDU reactors are a method to generate domestic nuclear power without running any risk of nuclear proliferation.
Canada has volunteered to help destroy some of the left over chemical weapons of the USSR there is also talk of taking Soviet nuclear fuel and using it peacefully, but this is controversial.
