CANADIAN Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland says her country isn’t backing down from its position that led to diplomatic sanction from Saudi Arabia. Her comments came a day after Saudi Arabia announced it would cease new trade deals with Canada and expel the Canadian ambassador. “I will say Canada is very comfortable with our position. We are always going to speak up for human rights; we’re always going to speak up for women’s rights; and that is not going to change,” she told a news conference recently.
The diplomatic relation between Canada and Saudi Arabia goes bitter when Global Affairs Canada on Friday tweeted, “Canada is gravely concerned about additional arrests of civil society and women’s rights activists in Saudi Arabia, including Samar Badawi. We urge the Saudi authorities to immediately release them and all other peaceful human rights activists.”
Like other Western democratic countries it is normal for Canada to be happy for Saudi Arabia moving towards allowing freedom to women and others under new leadership of crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman. The present government under the new young leadership it is generally expected the country will move forward in keeping trends with the modern world.
The more participation of people in the affairs of the government means strengthening the kingdom. To live prosperous in the modern world no country can remain not being part of the modern world. It is not wise to let people be in the past. Be sure of world cooperation without which a country cannot live safely and in prosperity. The kingdom of Saudi Arabia is seen as leader of Muslim world everywhere.
We do not believe that by expressing concern by Canada over certain policy could bring unwell for Saudi Arabia. It only wanted to convey that the kingdom of Saudi Arabia, for its own interest, should not be derailed from the enlightened path of liberalising the country initiated by Prince Salman.
As a Muslim country wishing well for Saudi Arabia we want it to be a modern face of Islamic world. In that spirit we hope the two countries, Saudi Arabia and Canada, will soon be able to bury the misunderstanding in their relationship. We find the Canadian government under Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is a good friend of Muslims and well-wisher of Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
