A controversial multimillion-dollar contract for a Canadian firm to supply heavily armoured vehicles to the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency has ignited a political firestorm and calls for government intervention in Ottawa.
Lawmakers Demand Halt to 'Deeply Troubling' Contract
The pending sale, first revealed by The Independent, involves 20 Roshel Senator armoured security vehicles at a cost of $7,234,926.20. The contract was finalised on 28 November. The vehicles offer NATO-standard Level 2/B7 protection, capable of withstanding a blast equivalent to 8kg of TNT and stopping .50 calibre rounds.
Following the report, New Democratic Party MP Jenny Kwan, who represents Vancouver East, stated she was "deeply and profoundly troubled". She highlighted credible accusations of human rights abuses by ICE, which has made nearly 600,000 arrests in 2025 alone.
"I think Canadians expect our industries and our government to uphold human rights domestically and internationally, and not enable the further militarization of an organization whose conduct already puts vulnerable people at great risk," Kwan told The Canadian Press.
Legal Loopholes and Proposed Legislative Fix
Kwan identified a critical issue in Canadian export law, noting intentional loopholes allow military gear to be sold to the United States without the stringent oversight applied to other nations. In response, she vowed to propose revisions to a bill she sponsored in January, which would close these loopholes and prevent such sales to the US.
Her concerns were echoed by Kelsey Gallagher, a researcher with the anti-war NGO Project Ploughshares. He argued that if the vehicles were destined for any other security service with a similar documented pattern of abuse, Ottawa would likely block the export. He called on the government to follow its obligations under the Arms Trade Treaty, to which Canada is a signatory.
Former Foreign Affairs Minister Lloyd Axworthy also called for intervention, questioning in a television interview whether Canada was prepared to stand up for fairness and justice.
Government Response and Public Backlash
However, Canada's current Foreign Affairs Minister, Anita Anand, stated on Wednesday 4 December that the Carney administration had not been consulted on the transaction. She asserted she would raise issues with US Secretary Marco Rubio if necessary, emphasising the strong bilateral relationship.
The deal has provoked significant public anger. A petition titled "Stop the Contract: No Canadian Weapons to ICE" gathered nearly 6,000 signatures in 24 hours. Social media users expressed fury, with one calling it "a complete betrayal of the values we pretend to stand for."
In stark contrast, Ontario Premier Doug Ford celebrated the sale as "fantastic" for business, while Roshel CEO Roman Shimonov expressed puzzlement at the criticism.
A Contentious Deal Amid Strained Trade Relations
The controversy unfolds against a backdrop of strained trade relations with the US under President Donald Trump. Trump, who has repeatedly needled Canada and launched a trade war, has threatened to rip up the existing trade agreement. Bilateral talks have been stalled since October.
ICE justified the sole-source contract with Brampton-based Roshel LLC, stating the firm was the only vendor that could deliver the 20 battlefield-style machines within 30 days. Four US-based manufacturers reportedly said they could not meet the strict timeline.
The agency argued that delaying the purchase would significantly impact its ability to deploy mission-critical resources promptly. Thousands of the same Roshel Senator vehicles have been deployed to Ukraine in its war against Russia.
