However, many of Israel's most-deadly, US-made weapons systems--now being used in air strikes against Lebanon--would not be able to function without hundreds of crucial, high-tech, electronic components supplied by Canadian war industries, and subsidized unwittingly by Canadian taxpayers. Here are three examples:

AH-64 "Apache" attack helicopter Click for a list of a 12 Canadian war industries that have provided parts and/or services for AH-64s. Prime Contractor: Boeing (CPP investment = $71 million)

F-15 "Eagle" tactical fighter/bomber Click for a list of 21 Canadian war industries that have provided parts and/or services for F-15s. Prime Contractor: Boeing (CPP investment = $71 million)

F-16 "Fighting Falcon" multi-role fighter/bomber Click for a list of 18 Canadian war industries that have provided parts and/or services for F-16s. Prime Contractor: Lockheed Martin (CPP investment = $27 million)

The above links will bring you to some original research by the Coalition to Oppose the Arms Trade on Canadian components in these weapons systems. These links also contain otherf data on these weapons delivery systems, such as:

* their use in dozens of previous wars, invasions, regime changes and bombardments, etc.

* their use in entertaining children during "performances" at Canadian "air shows," and

* Canadian Commercial Corporation (CCC) involvement. (In 2001 and 2002 alone, the CCC brokered $7.5 million in Canadian exports for AH-64s, F-15s and F-16s.)

Canadian War Industry Subsidies to Political Parties

Canadians might be dismayed if they were ever to learn that both the Liberal and Conservative Party (and its predecessors) have received millions in political donations from war industries. Click the link above for a list of known donations from Canadian war-industries to these political parties between 1993 and 2002. Included are about 15 corporations that have exported parts and services for US AH-64s, F-15s and/or F-16s:

AlliedSignal Aerospace, Atlantis Aerospace, Bristol Aerospace, CAE, CMC, Devtek, DRS Flight Safefty and Communications, DY4, Elcan, Heroux, Litton, Magellan and Rockwell International of Canada.

Canadian Government Subsidies to War Industries

Over the last three decades, Canadian war industries have received about $5 billion in grants and unrepaid loans from the Canadian government, thanks to such programs as Industry Canada's Technology Partnerships Canada (formerly known as the Defence Industry Productivity Program). Click the link above for a list of such Canadian military industries, including about 25 that have exported parts and/or services for US AH-64s, F-15s and/or F-16s:

AlliedSignal Aerospace, Atlantis Systems, AWSM Enterprises, BAE Systems, Bristol Aerospace, Cercast, CMC Electronics, Derlan Aerospace, Devtek, DRS Flight Safefty and Communications, Fag Bearings, Fleet Industries, Garrett Canada, Haley Industries, Heroux-Devtek, Honeywell ASCA, Hypernetics, IMP Group, Litton Systems Canada, Magellan Aerospace, Menasco, Rockwell International of Canada, Virtual Prototypes and West Heights Manufacturing.

Canada Pension Plan Investments in War Industries

Many Canadians would also despair if they were to somehow find out that the Canada Pension Plan has invested billions of dollars in hundreds of war industries, including many of the world's top weapons makers. Among the war industries--in which millions of Canadians are forced to invest their pension funds--are the US prime contractors overseeing production of AH-64s, F-15s and F-16s and the weapons that they "deliver."

CPP Investments in Prime Contractors making Weapons aboard AH-64s, F-15s and F-16s

The above link provides a detailed list of about 115 different missiles and bombs deployed by weapons delivery systems in which major Canadian components can be found. Of the 73 weapons systems listed here--whose corporate, prime contractors could be determined--59 were built by US war industries in which the CPP now has investments. The tables below list the weapons aboard US AH-64s, F-15s and F-16s, that are built by war industries in which the CPP has investments.

Richard Sanders is coordinator of the Canadian based Coalition to Oppose the Arms Trade (COAT) and editor of COAT's magazine, Press for Conversion!

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Glossary:

AGM = Air to Ground Missile

AIM = Air Intercept Missile

CBU = Cluster Bomb Unit

GBU = Guided Bomb Unit

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Note:

There are different variations of US-made AH-64s, F-15s and F-16s. Israel has these variants:

AH-64A, AH-64D

F-15A, F-15B, F-15C, F-15D, F-15I

F-16A, F-16B, F-16C, F-16D, F-16I

Corporate, government and media sources on the export of Canadian parts/services, do not always mention specific variants. Therefore, some Canadian exports for these US weapons systems may not be aboard the specific variants used by Israel.

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Sources:

CPP investment data: The CPP Investment Board lists foreign investments in publicly traded companies in a table on its website called "Non-Canada Equity Holdings".

Weapons and wars: Data on weapons delivery systems, weapons the wars in which they have been used was derived from literally hundreds of sources, but primarily from the websites of Canadian and US war industries themselves. Also used were military-industry association websites, and US and Canadian government sources.