Among the likely explanations for the Liberals’ resounding election victory is that Canadians were drawn to Justin Trudeau’s promise to resume Canada’s proud tradition of global leadership through co-operation and compromise and to soundly reject the Harper government’s bellicosity, its distain for multilateralism, and its appeal to nativist instincts.

The new prime minister should quickly move to demonstrate Canada’s return to moral global leadership by fulfilling a key campaign pledge: to sign and ratify the Arms Trade Treaty. Signing the ATT represents an opportunity for Canada to reclaim its status as a once-lauded leader on international peace and security. That reputation was squandered under the Harper administration — which short-sightedly rebuked the international human rights and humanitarian law principles that formed the basis of Canada’s global authority.

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