CANSEC exposes the collusion between weapons companies, state officials, and profit margins soaked in blood.
Before it was called CANSEC, Ottawa hosted a smaller military trade show called ARMX every two years. The first ARMX was held in St. Hubert, QC in 1983 with 78 companies—mostly Canadian—for a total price tag of $40,000.
ARMX 1985 was held at CFB Uplands, a former Canadian military base. Six times as many companies attended. By 1987, ARMX included 260 companies and delegations from Austria, Holland, Hong Kong, Norway and the zionist entity. By 1998 ARMX became CANSEC.
From ARMX to CANSEC, fighting back disrupts the ruling class narrative of perpetual power and profit from genocide.
‼️ SAVE THE DATE AND TAKE THE DAY OFF
🗓️ May 28, 2026
⏰ 7:00 a.m.
📍EY Centre, 4889 Uplands Drive (EY has been re-branded as the Cohere Centre)
📌 Follow @Shut.Down.CANSEC on Instagram for updates
Very powerful French-language coverage of the #ShutDownCANSEC protest in Ottawa yesterday from Le Devoir. #ArmsEmbargoNow https://t.co/6MTwkHbzwO pic.twitter.com/SeKEcXWGQF
— World BEYOND War Canada (@WBWCanada) May 30, 2024
BREAKING: We’ve shut down all access to CANSEC, North America’s largest arms fair. This is where the weapons devastating Rafah right now are being sold. Where Israeli military reps are trying to justify their genocide. No one is getting into this arms fair here in Ottawa today. pic.twitter.com/xWOKhVBz3r
— World BEYOND War Canada (@WBWCanada) May 29, 2024
CANSEC is North America’s largest arms show and “defense industry” event.
The presenters and exhibitors list doubles as a Rolodex of the world’s worst corporate criminals. All of the companies and individuals who profit most from war and bloodshed will be there – from Palestine to Sudan, from the Congo to Colombia, from Afghanistan and West Papua to Ethiopia.
The world is run (and ravaged) by people who wake up early. On May 29th we need to wake up earlier than them to beat them to their fair. Join us at the convention bright and early as it begins to ensure everyone showing up knows they are NOT welcome in Ottawa or to continue their deadly business as usual. Then we’ll head to Parliament at noon to hold the government accountable and demand an inquiry into the arms trade.
It’s time to show up in force to oppose CANSEC and the profiteering from war and violence it is designed to support.
SIGN UP HERE: tinyurl.com/canseccarpool
Follow Toronto Against CANSEC Committee for Toronto updates.
From the 2023 CANSEC protest:
More information on attending the protest at 7am:
There will be banners and signs for you to hold at this action. We will meet at the entrance to the EY Centre on Uplands Drive.
CANSEC, and our protest, is taking place at the EY Centre which is located at 4899 Uplands Dr, Ottawa, ON K1V 2N6.
The parking on site is reserved for ticketed conference attendees, so people attending this protest will need to park elsewhere. Here are two parking options:
1) Park at one of the nearby hotels due south of the EY Centre, such as Hilton Garden Inn Ottawa Airport, 2400 Alert Rd, Ottawa, ON K1V 1S1, then walk over to the protest (approximately 10 minute walk)
2) Park at South Keys Shopping Centre, at the south side of the parking lot (2210 Bank St, Ottawa, ON K1V 1J5) then take the 6:30am or 7:00am bus #97 or #99 (direction Airport) from South Keys to the EY Centre (get off at stop Airport / Uplands). It is a 5 minute bus ride, and costs $3.75 in cash.
The #97 or #99 bus (direction Airport) will take you directly to the EY Centre. The bus stop name is Airport / Uplands or Uplands/Alert. It leaves from various spots in Ottawa (including Rideau B, Lees A, Hurdman A, Billings Bridge 1A, South Keys 1C, Greenboro 1A). For example, the #97/99 bus passes through Hurdman station at 6:20am or BIllings Bridge around 6:25am on it’s way to the EY Centre in time for the protest.
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Looking for info on a previous year’s protest? In 2022, 2023, 2024, and 2025 we came together hundreds strong and blocked CANSEC’s entrances in solidarity with everyone killed and displaced by the weapons sold there. We delayed the Minister of Defense’s keynote address by over an hour and made a mess of CANSEC’s opening morning.
