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An image extracted from a CCTV video and obtained by TRT World claims to show Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, highlighted by a red circle, when he arrived at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on October 2. (TRT World / Reuters) (Handout / Reuters)
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Monday convened an urgent meeting of ministers and senior officials to discuss Canada's response to what he called the "horrific murder" of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi. Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland later told reporters that all of Canada's relations with Saudi Arabia are currently under review.
"We discussed the latest developments regarding the assassination of Jamal Khashoggi, including the various intensive conversations we had this weekend with our international partners," she said. "There are very important questions about the whole relationship with Saudi Arabia that need to be asked."
The "emergency response group" meeting took place one day after Chancellor Angela Merkel announced that Germany would cut arms sales to the Saudis, the first major American ally to take action as a result the murder of Khashoggi in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul. Minister of Economy Peter Altmaier, a close ally of Merkel, urged other countries to do the same.
Canada would in some ways seem like a country that can take action. This summer, Canada protested the arrest of human rights activists by Saudi Arabia. Faced with two critical tweets, the kingdom has promised to suspend trade and investment with Canada, recalled his ambassador from Ottawa and gave him 24 hours to leave Saudi Arabia. Ottawa, of course, was not happy.
At the time, some Canadians urged the Trudeau government to do more than just call the kingdom on Twitter, for example by blocking arms sales to this one. In 2014, Canada signed a multi-billion dollar deal for the sale of armored vehicles to Saudi Arabia. The agreement was controversial from the beginning and further increased as Saudi Arabia continued its bombing campaigns in Yemen and punished Canada for its critical tweets. But it still remains.
At present, the diplomatic repercussions of the Khashoggi affair have drawn the international community's attention to Saudi Arabia's record of human rights and strengthened national calls for the Trudeau government not to is not limited to expressing concern.
On Saturday, Jagmeet Singh, leader of the New Democratic Party (NDP), called on the government to cancel the arms deal. Saudi Arabia's involvement and involvement in the death of a journalist makes it very clear that we can no longer continue selling arms to Saudi Arabia, Singh said. "There is no way to sell in the current context weapons that could be used to continue to oppress its citizens."
In a recorded interview for a French talk show on October 18, before the Saudi authorities confirmed Khashoggi's death, but broadcast on October 21, Trudeau said Canada would "always stand up for human rights, including with Saudi Arabia ". agree, he referred to the clauses of the agreement relating to human rights. "If they do not respect these clauses, we will definitely cancel the contract," Trudeau said.
Monday in Parliament, he went further. "We demand and expect Canadian exports to be used in a manner that fully respects human rights," said Trudeau. "We had already frozen export permits when we had concerns about their potential misuse, and we will not hesitate to do it again.
Tony Clement, a Conservative MP, came up with a different idea: using a new law, known as the Sergei Magnitsky Act, which gives the government the option of freezing Canadian assets of foreign nationals convicted of human rights violations. .
The law shares a name and purpose with Magnitsky's US law, the second of two laws named in the honor of a Russian whistleblower who died during his detention in Moscow. American lawmaker Bill Browder has called on governments, including Canada, to use it to target Khashoggi's murderers.
"The Magnitsky law is perfectly designed to deal with the Khashoggi case," Browder told The Globe and Mail. "Canada has a great advantage because Canada is already in the penalty box with Saudi Arabia. This gives Canada the perfect opportunity, without any cost or benefit, to be in the vanguard in this regard. "
But if the Trudeau government acted on one or the other front, it might find itself at odds with the United States, where President Trump defended his Saudi allies and showed little interest in rethink the links. The question is whether Canada will stand alongside the Germans, Trump or a middle ground.
For today at least, Germany is alone.
Read more:
The dispute between Saudi Arabia and Canada was a lesson. Trump ignored him.
If Saudi journalist Khashoggi disappears, ominous details could be the message
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