“Canada and all other nations need to know that they can’t claim to be more concerned than the kingdom over its own citizens.” – Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Ministry
Sage advice when travelling to another country, particularly one with a different cultural identity than Canada, is to be vigilant in observing their customs and laws for fear of compromising your position and ending up in serious trouble.
In view of Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland’s recent tweet condemning Saudi Arabia for its arrests of Saudi women’s rights activists, she needs to take heed of that advice when criticizing other countries’ treatment of their citizens. Despite the current government’s emphasis on human rights, we must respect that a sovereign country has its own culture, traditions and laws and not interfere in their domestic affairs.
As she stated “Canada will always stand up for human rights in Canada and around the world, and women’s rights are human rights.” True enough, but Canada must handle these very delicate situations with tact and diplomacy, as we have now found out. These issues need to be dealt with judiciously through diplomatic channels, after all that is why we have diplomats and ambassadors; to handle these delicate matters outside the political realm. This action should not have been unexpected, as other countries – particularly Sweden and Germany – have been admonished for similar interferences in the domestic affairs of Saudi Arabia.
Canada is now on the black list in Saudi Arabia’s books, with the expulsion of the Canadian ambassador from Saudi Arabia, withdrawal of some 15,000 Saudi students training in Canada, suspension of flights to and from Canada, and jeopardizing $1.4 billion in exports.
We have our own problems to solve here at home such as Indigenous rights, global marketing of our energy resources, free trade and other issues. What gives us the right to take a “holier than thou” approach to things like human and women’s rights? It wasn’t many years ago that we were behind the times with regard to recognition of gay and lesbian rights, euthanasia and many other current issues. Even now freedom of speech is under attack in Canada. As the Saudi foreign minister stated: “Any further step from the Canadian side in that direction will be considered as acknowledgement of our right to interfere in Canadian domestic affairs.” Do we want them telling us what to do or what not to do?
Saudi Arabia has come out very strong in defence of their sovereignty with its Foreign Ministry stating: “… blatant interference in the kingdom’s domestic affairs, against basic international norms and all international protocols and a major, unacceptable affront to the kingdom’s laws and judicial process, as well as a violation of the kingdom’s sovereignty.”
Let that be a harsh warning for Canada and other countries to mind their own business. Perhaps an apology is warranted rather than a firm stand.
Ken Allred is a former St. Albert alderman and MLA.
