Canada, Punching Above Its Influence : Canada Misplacing Its Moral Code

"It was a stupid law. And it's still a stupid law. But we're stuck with it."
"Lost in all of the information about the reasons why, was the real reason ... It was the Justice for Victims of Terrorism Act, frankly. That's the reason: that still exists."
"It's no coincidence that we closed the [Iranian] embassy basically the day after the legislation became effective."
"The British weren't even seizing Iranian government property [following the attack on the British embassy in Tehran]. This law called for the seizure of Iranian government properties; [the Iranians] have a very flexible view on diplomatic immunity."
"How could we possibly stay open under those conditions? How can we reopen under those conditions?"
Dennis Horak, former Canadian Ambassador to Saudi Arabia

This is a man, now retired, who in 2012 was director of Middle East relations for Canada's Department of Foreign Affairs at a time when the-then government of Prime Minister Stephen Harper through Cabinet Minister of Foreign Affairs John Baird announced the closure of the Tehran embassy in Canada. The accurate analysis cited for the drastic move of shuttering a foreign embassy in a country that had testy relations with an Islamist nation known for its leading role as a sponsor of   unsavoury human-rights-abuses generally was that Canada would not support relations with a state sponsor of terrorism.

Mr. Horak's views follow in lock-step with Foreign Affairs' traditional tolerance for Middle East infractions of human rights, a supporter himself of overlooking the vicious and violent tyrannies whose version of capital punishment would make any supporter of same in the West cringe with horror. It is his considered opinion borne of long years of toiling at the behest of Canada's governments in diplomatic missions in the Middle East, that those countries must be judged by different standards of ethics and morality. They are, after all, Islamic.

In the fine old tradition of Canada's Department of Foreign Affairs, before that External Affairs, now Global Affairs -- the name may change but the sentiments within do not -- Israel, the only democratic, liberal country in the Middle East, surrounded by avowed enemies, is viewed with disfavour. Prime Minister Stephen Harper's expressed loyalty to the concept of a Jewish State and his respect for the security of that anomalous state in its heritage geography within a larger, Muslim-majority establishment found no support within the Foreign Affairs old guard which has always transmitted its values to incoming members.

Inciting Saudi Arabia to a furious response to a tweet by current Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland represented an unprofessional, undiplomatic demand that this most rigidly Islamist of Muslim Kingdoms immediately shed its normal response to interior dissent, causing not only a diplomatic rift of icy dimensions, but a disruption in trade, investment and student exchange of even more serious implications leading to the question, why is Canada which celebrates itself as liberal progressive to a fault, so dependent on relations with the Kingdom to begin with?

The answer, of course, is Saudi Arabia's clout in the Middle East and the United Nations, and this government has its eye set on a seat on the two-year revolving UN Security Council, while also prepared to bank-and-spend the billions it is set to receive selling military weapons to the Saudis; so much for the morals of a government that sanctimoniously preaches morality to the world at large, proving that for the most part, with Liberal rule Canada is indeed 'back'.

As far as former Ambassador Horak, who deplored riling Saudi Arabia to the point where he was ejected persona non grata, is concerned, diplomats are skilled in many things, but overlooking human rights abuses represent one issue that cannot be overstated in looking after Canada's interests on the world stage. The Justice for Victims of Terrorism Act, enacted by the Conservative-led government of Stephen Harper whose conscience is alive and well, made it lawful for victims of violent terrorism attacks to hold responsible those governments who sponsor terror; in this case the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Ambassador Horak, now nothing-Horak, is incensed that Canada has inadvertently in one instance and deliberately in the other, sacrificed a working relationship with the two most influential, oil-wealthy countries in the Middle East; Sunni Arab Saudi Arabia, and Shiite Persian Iran; no ambassador present in Riyadh and a shuttered mission in Tehran. Although this Liberal government is determined to restore relations with Iran. And this is not to be thought necessarily a black mark on Canada's capacity to have amicable relations with important and influential nations who can further Canada's interests.

While on the other hand, this administration, boosted by Foreign/Global Affairs accommodation, is doing its utmost now to separate itself in international public opinion -- at the same time catering to a home audience whose knee-jerk reaction has always been anti-U.S., even while Canadians are flocking as vacationers to various American states -- to demonstrate itself morally superior to an America now led by a conservative counterpart personality to Canada's inept liberal-progressive selfie-clown extraordinaire.

The reality is we share a border cutting straight across a huge continent. The reality is Canada's prosperity is inextricably linked with that of its powerful partner. The reality is that Canada cannot adequately protect itself in the event of conflict or invasion, without relying on the strength of the American military. The reality is that many American values are those shared by Canada. The fact is that without our vital trade with that economic and trade powerhouse the Canadian standard of living would be hugely reduced.

All of which show Trudeau up as a pitiful sham in every conceivable way.