Halifax police buying armoured vehicle from company whose products were allegedly used against civilians

HALIFAX—Halifax police are buying their armoured vehicle from a company whose products were allegedly used to commit human-rights abuses, reinforcing one councillor’s belief that the municipality should take ethics into account when awarding contracts.

Terradyne Armored Vehicles, based in Newmarket, Ont., will supply the bulletproof “armoured rescue vehicle” for $353,280. The lowest bidder — Streit Manufacturing, at $238,900 — did not meet specifications and was disqualified. The contract was awarded on Monday.

Terradyne’s Gurkha vehicles were deployed by Saudi armed forces during a security operation in July 2017. Eyewitnesses backed by video allege the Gurkhas were used to surround a town and soldiers fired into populated areas, killing several civilians while trying to rout an armed group hiding in the community.

Categories

Type de document: