TERRORISM

Commitment: Declaration on Terrorism
“We rededicate ourselves and invite others to associate our efforts in order to thwart the activities of terrorists and their supporters, including fund-raising, the planning of terrorist acts, procurement of weapons, calling for violence, and incitement to commit terrorist acts.”

Grade: +1

In line with the commitment to examine and implement, in cooperation with all States, all measures likely to strengthen the capacity of the international community to defeat terrorism, Canada and the rest of the P8 met in Paris on July 30, 1996, (less than one month after the G-7 Summit). The Communiqué issued at the Paris Summit, called on all States to adopt the measures laid down in the Ottawa Declaration of December 12, 1995. Furthermore, it called on all States to adopt measures laid down in the Paris Communiqué to deter activities of terrorism, including the planning of terrorist acts, fund-raising, procurement of weapons and incitement to commit terrorist acts. In total the Paris Communiqué put down 25 recommendations.

Canada is present on various UN Committees on Terrorism and works with the UN to promote the implementation of measures to eliminate international terrorism. One of these is the Ad Hoc Committee on Terrorism set up by the General Assembly to elaborate conventions on the suppression of terrorist bombings and on acts of nuclear terrorism. This Ad Hoc Committee had its first meeting on Monday, February 24th 1997, and it also has a mandate to address means of further developing a legal framework of conventions dealing with international terrorism. However, its first priority as dictated by the General Assembly resolution on Terrorism 51/210 and as recommended by the Paris Communiqué is to consider an international convention on suppression of terrorist bombings.

At its first session, the Committee was submitted two draft conventions to facilitate its efforts to shape international law on the question of Terrorism. The first, and the one of interest to this compliance study, was a working paper submitted by France on behalf of the G-7 and Russian Federation which in effect, was a draft international convention for the suppression of terrorist bombings. It covers issues such as definition, detention and extradition of suspects and efforts to prevent terrorist actions.

In short, Canada has rededicated itself and has invited others to thwart terrorism within the plurilateral context of the G-7 through its participation at the Paris Summit and through its participation in the various UN Committees on Terrorism, particularly the Ad Hoc Committee on Terrorism.