Saudi Airlines suspends Canadian operations starting Aug. 13
- by Kelli Lowe
- in Global Media
- — Aug 10, 2018
The diplomatic spat between Canada and Saudi Arabia that has seen the Middle Eastern nation halt all global trade between the two nations is "troubling", a Canadian farm group says, noting the dispute comes amidst rising protectionism in a number of key trading markets.
Saudia said it would be temporarily stopping inbound and outbound flights to Toronto Pearson International Airport - the only Canadian destination it serves - from August 13.
Saudi state media is now threatening foreign countries from behind a computer screen.
The Saudi government also banned new trade with Canada, although it was unclear if it would affect existing annual Saudi-Canadian trade of more than £3bn billion and a £10bn defense contract.
Saudi Arabia has denounced the tweets as "blatant interference in the country's domestic affairs", as well as a "major, unacceptable affront to the kingdom's laws and judicial process".
Speaking to reporters in Vancouver on Monday, Freeland said Canada is "very comfortable" with its position that led to the new measures announced by Saudi Arabia.
Universities across Canada are scrambling to get information after Saudi Arabia suspended scholarships to Canada and planned to relocate its students already in the country.
Thirty-four Saudi students enrolled for the upcoming academic season starting in September are also expected to be affected.
The global feud began with the Canadian government's criticism of Saudi Arabia's arrests of women's rights activists.
"The normal diplomatic route would have been to call the ambassador in and to let him know your displeasure and then to try to move from there", MacKay, Canada's foreign affairs minister from 2006 to 2007 and defence minister from 2007 to 2013, said in an interview with BNN.
"That for Saudi Arabia was the source of growing frustration", he said in a phone interview. On the diplomatic dispute, commission spokeswoman Maja Kocijancic said "we don't comment on bilateral relations".
Badawi was arrested at the end of July along with fellow Saudi women's rights activist Nassima al Sada.
A number of countries in the region have defended Saudi Arabia.
Those held include the Saudi-American human rights campaigner Samar Badawi, sister of jailed blogger Raif Badawi. Both the Saudi and Canadian ambassadors were away on leave at the time. Freedland urged the Saudi government to "immediately release them".
Niagara College was expecting 40 students from Saudi Arabia to arrive for the fall term.
Earlier on Monday, Ottawa refused to back down in its defense of human rights after Riyadh froze new trade and investment and expelled the Canadian ambassador in retaliation for the country's call to free arrested Saudi civil society activists.
Riyadh accuses Ottawa of meddling Riyadh accused Ottawa on Tuesday of interfering in its internal affairs.
According to Reuters, Saudi-Canadian trade consists largely of Saudi exports of petrochemicals, plastics and other products. In 2015, Riyadh recalled its ambassador to Sweden and stopped issuing work visas for Swedes after the European Union member country's foreign minister described the Badawi court decision as "medieval" and the kingdom's ruling Saud family as presiding over a "dictatorship".
