Human rights – mackaycartoons

Saturday October 28, 2018

November 2, 2018 by Graeme MacKay

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Saturday October 28, 2018

‘Difficult contract’ binds Canada to Saudi LAV deal, Trudeau says

October 12, 2018

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says it’s difficult to break Canada’s deal to supply light armoured vehicles to Saudi Arabia because of the way the contract was negotiated by the previous Conservative government.

“The contract signed by the previous government, by Stephen Harper, makes it very difficult to suspend or leave that contract,” Trudeau told host Matt Galloway on CBC Radio’s Metro Morning on Tuesday. “We are looking at a number of things, but it is a difficult contract.

“I actually can’t go into it, because part of the deal on this contract is not talking about this contract, and it’s one of the binds that we are left in because of the way that the contract was negotiated.”

August 10, 2018

Saudi Arabia faces possible international repercussions over the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. Trudeau, in Toronto today to announce how Canada will go about implementing the carbon tax, was asked in the Metro Morning interview what Canada could do.

Canada and many of its allies are trying to figure out what kind of diplomatic and economic pressure can be applied to Saudi Arabia to make it clear that the killing of the dissident journalist inside the Saudi Consulate in Turkey is unacceptable.

Germany, for example, has stopped its arms sales to the kingdom in light of this incident.

May 13, 2016

But Canada continues to fulfil its contract to supply the kingdom with LAVs built by General Dynamic Land Systems Canada, a military supplier in London, Ont.

Even before Khashoggi’s death, human rights advocates said Canada should not be supplying the Saudis with military vehicles that could assist in its ongoing military intervention in Yemen, where civilians have been brutally targeted.

Trudeau said he understands this situation “very well,” calling it “incredibly frustrating.” (Source: CBC News)

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Friday October 19, 2018

October 11, 2018 by Graeme MacKay

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Friday October 19, 2018

Trump says missing Saudi journalist no reason to stop investments there

U.S. President Donald Trump says he sees no reason to block Saudi Arabian investments in the United States despite concern over a missing Saudi journalist, saying the Gulf nation would then just move its money into Russia and China.

August 10, 2018

Trump, speaking to reporters at the White House, said the United States was expecting a report soon on journalist Jamal Khashoggi, but gave no other details.

Trump also spoke about the disappearance while being interviewed on the Fox & Friendsprogram on Thursday, saying the U.S. is being “very tough” as it looks into the case.

“Well, we’re looking at it very, very seriously,” Trump said. “I don’t like it at all. Now, you don’t have American citizens, but that in this case, [it] doesn’t matter. I don’t like it. I don’t like it with respect to reporters. It is a terrible, terrible precedent. We can’t let it happen.

August 17, 2002

“I have to find out what happened … and we’re probably getting closer than you might think,” he said in the Fox News interview.

Trump expressed reservations over calls to withhold further U.S. arms sales to Saudi Arabia, saying such a move “would be hurting us.”

Global pressure has mounted on close U.S. ally Saudi Arabia over the whereabouts of Khashoggi, a prominent critic of Saudi policies who entered the consulate on Oct. 2 to get documents for his planned marriage. His Turkish fiancée, Hatice Cengiz, who was waiting outside, said he never reappeared.

September 5, 2014

Turkish sources have said they believe Khashoggi was killed inside the building and his body was removed, allegations that Riyadh dismisses as baseless.

A team of investigators is preparing to go into the consulate, where Khashoggi was last seen entering nine days ago, a Turkish security official told Reuters. (Source: CBC News)

Friday August 10, 2018

August 9, 2018 by Graeme MacKay

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Friday August 10, 2018

Here’s why Canadian allies are keeping their mouths shut in dispute with Saudi Arabia

August 8, 2018

As Saudi Arabia continues to volley fresh restrictions against Canada, there’s notable silence from one key group of voices — Canada’s allies.

Since the Middle Eastern kingdom launched the dispute on Sunday evening over tweets sent the week prior, Saudi Arabia has recalled its ambassador, expelled Canada’s ambassador, frozen new business and trade, ordered Saudi students studying in Canada to go somewhere else, ordered Saudi citizens seeking medical care in Canada to go somewhere else, blacklisted Canadian wheat and barley, and ordered the asset managers of their central bank and pension funds to dump Canadian assets “no matter the cost.”

August 2, 2017

And among it all, the only response from Canada’s two closest allies — the U.S. and U.K. — has been to call both sides close partners and urge restraint.

So why the silence?

Like so many things in politics, it all boils down to the money, said one expert.

“There is an attempt by the Saudis to create some fear and rattle some of those Western governments into not supporting Canada because they may be cut out or shut out from some potential Saudi economic deals and the big boom that it’s undertaking,” said Bessma Momani, a professor at the University of Waterloo specializing in Saudi relations and a senior fellow at the Centre for International Governance and Innovation.

January 6, 2016

“Saudi Arabia is the largest weapons purchaser in the world, so any company or country in the world that sells arms, as does Canada, is likely to be looking into how this is going to affect bilateral trade ties.”

The dispute stems from what Momani called the “brash” decision by Saudi Arabia to respond to criticism of its arrest of women’s rights activists with a campaign of retaliation meant to send a warning to more powerful Western countries.

And it has not gone unnoticed that the same countries Canada has fought with and died alongside over the last century are keeping their mouths shut rather than speak out against the attacks. (Source: Global News)

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Wednesday August 2, 2017

August 1, 2017 by Graeme MacKay

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Wednesday August 2, 2017

Saudi Arabia reportedly using Canadian military trucks against its own civilians

The Canadian government is investigating reports that Saudi Arabia is using armoured vehicles made in Canada against its own civilians – allegations that have prompted renewed scrutiny over Ottawa’s recent decision to sign off on a billion-dollar arms deal with the kingdom.

October 23, 2015

Videos and photos posted on social media in recent days allegedly show Riyadh using Canadian equipment in a violent crackdown on minority Shia dissidents in eastern Saudi Arabia. Last week at least five people were killed as security forces flushed out suspected militants in the town of Awamiya.

Several sources told the Canadian newspaper the Globe and Mail that the vehicles being used appeared to be Gurkha RPVs made in Ontario by Terradyne Armoured Vehicles.

Canadian officials said they were deeply concerned by the reports. “We are looking at these claims very seriously … and have immediately launched a review,” Justin Trudeau told reporters.

June 13, 2017

In 2016, Saudi Arabia ranked among the largest importers of Canada-made military goods, purchasing more than C$142m worth of goods – nearly 20% of all Canadian military exports that year.

The ministry of global affairs said it was concerned over the escalating violence in eastern Saudi Arabia. In a statement issued last week, it highlighted the causalities among civilians and security forces and urged Riyadh to confront its security challenges in “a manner that abides by international human rights law”.

Days later, the ministry said the government was actively seeking more information about the reports of civilian casualties and claims that Canadian-made vehicles were involved. “If it is found that Canadian exports have been used to commit serious violations of human rights, the minister will take action,” a spokesperson for department told the Guardian. He did not answer questions around what kinds of actions this could entail.

Terradyne Armoured Vehicles did not respond to a request for comment. (Source: The Guardian)

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Thursday September 23, 2016

September 22, 2016 by Graeme MacKay

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Thursday September 23, 2016

Trudeau says Canada has ‘extremely high standards’ for extradition treaty with China

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Canada will maintain high standards as it negotiates an extradition treaty with China, while critics raise concerns about that country’s weak record on human rights.

August 30, 2016

“Canada has extremely high standards on extradition treaties,” Trudeau said to reporters at the National Press Theatre in Ottawa.

“We have a very, very rigorous process, that conforms with the expectations and values of Canadians, and that continues.”

The Liberals announced last week negotiations have begun on a treaty that would allow the Chinese government to pursue someone on Canadian soil for crimes committed in China.

The issue was raised Wednesday in Question Period, where Interim Conservative Leader Rona Ambrose called Trudeau’s approach “shockingly naive.”

September 2, 2016

“Our allies like Australia, the U.S. and New Zealand don’t have treaties of this type with China,” Ambrose said.

“The Chinese government has orchestrated thousands of cyberattacks against Canada and, according to CSIS and the RCMP, has sent foreign agents into Canada without our permission,” she said.

“Canadians expect the prime minister to act in our national interest. What possible benefit to Canada would an extradition with China provide us?”

August 24, 2016

Trudeau said his government has succeeded in resolving consular cases in China and in increasing access to the Chinese market after the “hot and cold” relationship with Beijing in the Harper years.

“The benefit to Canada is having a high-level security dialogue where we can talk about issues that are important to us and issues that are important to the Chinese government,” Trudeau said. “We continue to be strong in our values, in our principles and our expectations of anyone we engage with around the world.”

Chinese Premier Li Kegiang arrived in Ottawa Wednesday afternoon, three weeks after Trudeau visited China. The two are expected to talk about increased economic co-operation between the two countries, but human rights remain an issue. (Source: CBC News)