Saudi Arabia expelling Canadian ambassador, freezing trade with Canada

[webfact]

Saudi Arabia freezes new trade with Canada for urging activists' release

Nayera Abdallah, David Ljunggren

 

CAIRO/OTTAWA (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia will suspend new trade and investment with Canada after that country’s foreign ministry urged Riyadh to release arrested civil rights activists, it said in a statement released to the official Saudi Press Agency on Sunday.

 

It also gave the Canadian ambassador 24 hours to leave the country and recalled its own ambassador to Canada, the statement by the Saudi foreign ministry said, adding it retained “its rights to take further action.”

 

The Saudi ministry had been briefed that the Canadian foreign ministry and the Canadian embassy urged the Saudi authorities to “immediately release” civil rights activists, the statement said.

 

Canadian foreign ministry officials were not available for an immediate comment on Sunday.

 

Last Wednesday, Human Rights Watch said Saudi Arabia had arrested women’s rights activists Samar Badawi and Nassima al-Sadah, the latest two to be swept up in a government crackdown on activists, clerics and journalists. More than a dozen women’s rights activists have been targeted since May.

 

On Friday, Canada said it was “gravely concerned” about the arrests of civil society and women’s rights activists in Saudi Arabia, including Badawi, the sister of jailed dissident blogger Raif Badawi.

 

“We urge the Saudi authorities to immediately release them and all other peaceful human rights activists,” Global Affairs Canada said on its Twitter feed.

 

Raif Badawi’s wife Ensaf Haidar lives in Canada and recently became a Canadian citizen.

 

Most of those arrested campaigned for the right to drive and an end to the country’s male guardianship system, which requires women to obtain the consent of a male relative for major decisions.

 

The Saudi statement said it confirmed its commitment to refrain from intervening in the internal matters of other countries, including Canada, and in return rejected any intervention in its domestic affairs and internal relations with its citizens.

 

“Any further step from the Canadian side in that direction will be considered as acknowledgment of our right to interfere in the Canadian domestic affairs,” the statement said.

 

In 2014, the Canadian unit of U.S. weapons maker General Dynamics Corp (GD.N) won a contract worth up to $13 billion to build light-armored vehicles for Saudi Arabia, in what Ottawa said at the time was the largest advanced manufacturing export win in Canadian history.

 

(Reporting by Nayera Abdullah in Cairo; Denny Thomas in Toronto and David Ljunggren in Ottawa; Writing by Denny Thomas; Editing by Susan Thomas)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2018-08-06

[bristolboy]

A very spoiled rich kid is now running Saudi Arabia.

[mackayae]

Both Canada and Saudi Arabia are members of the UN Commission on the Staus of Women.

"CSW has been described as the UN organ promoting gender equality and the empowerment of women."

 

[Bluespunk]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

 

The Saudi statement said it confirmed its commitment to refrain from intervening in the internal matters of other countries,

Tell the people of Yemen that. 

[pegman]

STOP all military equipment sales from Canada to Sadist Arabia NOW! 

[Chomper Higgot]

“and [Saudi Arabi] recalled its own ambassador to Canada”

 

He’ll be devastated going back to the joys of wandering around shopping malls for something to do.

[from the home of CC]

this arms deal was political to appease voters in the manufacturing areas in Ontario. It provided jobs but at what price? - disgusting.

[Ron19]

A post against forum rules has been removed.

 

9) You will not post inflammatory messages on the forum, or attempt to disrupt discussions to upset its participants, or trolling. Trolling can be defined as the act of purposefully antagonizing other people on the internet by posting controversial, inflammatory, irrelevant or off-topic messages with the primary intent of provoking other users into an emotional response or to generally disrupt normal on-topic discussion.

 

11) You will not post slurs, degrading or overly negative comments directed towards Thailand, specific locations, Thai institutions such as the judicial or law enforcement system, Thai culture, Thai people or any other group on the basis of race, nationality, religion, gender or sexual orientation.

[spidermike007]

This country would be an absolute parish state, if it were not for it's oil and wealth. The top supporter of extremist Madrasa schools on the planet. A decades long supporter of terrorists and extremists worldwide. A class of men who do everything in their power to keep women down, subservient, hidden from view, and devoid of human rights. This is an extremely low class society, that is hellbent on living in the 13th century. The Saudi nation is the true enemy of the planet. Yet, the US continues to throw support behind them, despite all of the signs, warnings and evidence that they are not our friends, but our true enemies on nearly every level. A true despot nation. 

 

All Canada did was make a fairly benign statement, that was absolutely true. However, truth must be hidden at all costs with those living in the past, in a state of denial. 

Edited August 6, 2018 by spidermike007

[My Thai Life]

I don't know the full background to this story, but sanctions by the west against Saudi Arabia are long overdue. I've spent 5 years on and off in Saudi, and worked there with Arabs from every Arabic country, so I know the environment pretty well.

 

The spread of Saudi's Wahabbist version of Islam worldwide is in my view the single greatest cause of the rise of muslim terrorism. This spread is organised and very well financed.

 

We should all be following Canada's example.

 

 

 

 

[blazes]

A curious story with many strands.

1. It begs the question of how much power the Crown Prince really has (since he supposedly is in favour of women driving etc.)

2. With an election due next year, Trudeau wants to show he's a tough guy, given that Trump has given him a bloody nose.  And also he "stands up" to Saudi Arabia, unlike Potus, who has courted the Saudis in his anti-Iranian move.

3. Maybe Trudeau will make a few women voters happy.

4. Canada stands to lose the $13B General Dynamics contract (to Make America Great Again).

5. Canada, in the top 5 oil-producing nations of the world, has to import (yes, believe it or not) millions of barrels of Saudi oil daily to feed its Eastern gas stations, because various Nimbyists in Eastern Canada persuaded Trudeau and his minions to stop building pipelines from Alberta to Eastern Canada.

 

And Canadians will surely ask why their government is not objecting to (the far more serious) Saudi bombing of Yemen.

 

 

 

 

 

[from the home of CC]

the only thing Trudeau has done right (and will be his legacy) is to legalize marijuana. 

[nausea]

"The spread of Saudi's Wahabbist version of Islam worldwide is in my view the single greatest cause of the rise of muslim terrorism." 

No comment.

[nobodysfriend]

1 hour ago, spidermike007 said:

This country would be an absolute parish state, if it were not for it's oil and wealth. The top supporter of extremist Madrasa schools on the planet. A decades long supporter of terrorists and extremists worldwide. A class of men who do everything in their power to keep women down, subservient, hidden from view, and devoid of human rights. This is an extremely low class society, that is hellbent on living in the 13th century. The Saudi nation is the true enemy of the planet. Yet, the US continues to throw support behind them, despite all of the signs, warnings and evidence that they are not our friends, but our true enemies on nearly every level. A true despot nation. 

 

All Canada did was make a fairly benign statement, that was absolutely true. However, truth must be hidden at all costs with those living in the past, in a state of denial. 

You are right except for one thing : -------" The Saudi nation is the true enemy of the planet"------ The planet is not political , it is a ( once ) balanced ecosystem and mankind is it's enemy ...

[mfd101]

4 hours ago, bristolboy said:

A very spoiled rich kid is now running Saudi Arabia.

And the spoiled rich kid in Ottawa?

[car720]

1 hour ago, gamini said:

Why don't the moderators enforce this policy against Thai bashers who continually flout these forum rules. they continually make childish and educated insults. There are also a lot of ignorant posters who continually make negative comments about other religions, why don't you take action against them?

Here. Here.  I don't agree with what you are saying but I do find both rules to be beyond ambiguous.  According to the way they are worded then 99%  of all post and comments would be trolling etc.., etc..

[AsiaHand]

7 hours ago, mackayae said:

Both Canada and Saudi Arabia are members of the UN Commission on the Staus of Women.

"CSW has been described as the UN organ promoting gender equality and the empowerment of women."

 

Most all of The UN commission's statements are an empty bag of wind. If Saudi Arabia is on this comity then Russia should be allowed membership in NATO.

[observer90210]

Many world superpowers are sleeping the Saudis for obvious strategic and commercial reasons...... Now if Canada is oil independant, fine, it can give Saudia lessons....if not, it was not a very smart move..... despite the fact that everybody knows what the totalitarian saudi regime is up to......geopolitics, commerce, national interests are tricky and unfortunately are often totally detached from morality....

[bristolboy]

5 hours ago, blazes said:

 

5. Canada, in the top 5 oil-producing nations of the world, has to import (yes, believe it or not) millions of barrels of Saudi oil daily to feed its Eastern gas stations, because various Nimbyists in Eastern Canada persuaded Trudeau and his minions to stop building pipelines from Alberta to Eastern Canada.

 

And Canadians will surely ask why their government is not objecting to (the far more serious) Saudi bombing of Yemen.

 

 

 

 

 

False, Canada does not have to import millions of barrels of oil daily from Saudi Arabia. In fact, as of 2016 it didn't even import 1 million barrels per day. It imported about 750,00 barrels per day and most of that came from the USA. Less than 100,000 barrels per day came from Saudi Arabia. And since oil is basically fungible, it really wouldn't matter if the Saudis cut Canada off.

https://www.neb-one.gc.ca/nrg/ntgrtd/mrkt/snpsht/2017/02-04cndncrlmprtsdcln-eng.html

[overherebc]

6 hours ago, gamini said:

Why don't the moderators enforce this policy against Thai bashers who continually flout these forum rules. they continually make childish and educated insults. There are also a lot of ignorant posters who continually make negative comments about other religions, why don't you take action against them?

Well, to be honest I believe that religion is the one main cause of conflict all over the world. 

Some people say it's terrible of me to state that I believe those who believe in a medieval system of imaginary sky gods etc are a bit stupid.

Why is it wrong for me to say that? 

The biggest reason for mass murders in history is the stupid belief by some that their imaginary sky god is better than another's belief that their imaginary sky god is the only real imaginary sky god.

[billd766]

1 hour ago, overherebc said:

Well, to be honest I believe that religion is the one main cause of conflict all over the world. 

Some people say it's terrible of me to state that I believe those who believe in a medieval system of imaginary sky gods etc are a bit stupid.

Why is it wrong for me to say that? 

The biggest reason for mass murders in history is the stupid belief by some that their imaginary sky god is better than another's belief that their imaginary sky god is the only real imaginary sky god.

 

I hear Thor every time we have a thunderstorm.

[Sydebolle]

Maybe it is high time to hang Saudi Arabia outside to dry. If nobody buys their oil for, say, three to six months, the whole circus will collapse. The fidels need the West more than vice versa and it is time to show, who is who on the banana boat. 

Pissing onto Canada while creating havoc in Yemen - what do these idiots at the helm think, if at all? 

[impulse]

1 hour ago, overherebc said:

Well, to be honest I believe that religion is the one main cause of conflict all over the world. 

Some people say it's terrible of me to state that I believe those who believe in a medieval system of imaginary sky gods etc are a bit stupid.

Why is it wrong for me to say that? 

The biggest reason for mass murders in history is the stupid belief by some that their imaginary sky god is better than another's belief that their imaginary sky god is the only real imaginary sky god.

 

For every person killed in the name of religion, there are probably 10 people not killed because of religion, its locally moderating influence, and the fear of eternal punishment (or coming back as a dung beetle) after death.

 

That's the thing about forming an opinion based on what we read.   We rarely read about bad crap that didn't happen, and why it didn't.

 

 

Edited August 6, 2018 by impulse

[overherebc]

22 minutes ago, impulse said:

 

For every person killed in the name of religion, there are probably 10 people not killed because of religion, its locally moderating influence, and the fear of eternal punishment (or coming back as a dung beetle) after death.

 

That's the thing about forming an opinion based on what we read.   We rarely read about bad crap that didn't happen, and why it didn't.

 

 

Really?

The thought of eternal punishment has an effect on those who want to start a war?

Why is this god claimed to be on their side, both sides, when two nations go to war?

Go and kill the enemy, as many as you can, because, god is on your side.

Read some books on WW2 and you'll find that most of the poor b-st-rds when mortally wounded called for their mother, not for a non existant god thing.

[JCauto]

10 hours ago, blazes said:

2. With an election due next year, Trudeau wants to show he's a tough guy, given that Trump has given him a bloody nose.  And also he "stands up" to Saudi Arabia, unlike Potus, who has courted the Saudis in his anti-Iranian move.

 

Trump gave him a bloody nose? On the contrary, it was the one thing Canadians have liked about him.

[blazes]

6 minutes ago, JCauto said:

Trump gave him a bloody nose? On the contrary, it was the one thing Canadians have liked about him.

As recently as last week, Trump proposed negotiating separately with Mexico and Canada re NAFTA.  This exclusion of Canada is a blow below the belt (if not a bloody nose).  I was actually thinking about Trump's vicious attack on Trudeau after the jollifications of the G7 meeting in Quebec.

[bristolboy]

 

10 minutes ago, JCauto said:

Trump gave him a bloody nose? On the contrary, it was the one thing Canadians have liked about him.

Really?

Liberals rise in polls as Canadians rally behind Trudeau in spat with Trump: Ipsos poll

https://globalnews.ca/news/4342222/liberals-polls-canadians-trudeau-trump/

[Guest]

Let me guess. Canada has been buying oil from Iran and have sold their own production to USA. The way, thighs have been.

 

Now Saudi's new weak and spoiled prince wishes to please and show loyalty to Trump admin by closing relationship with Canada. 

 

The axis of evil is really working hard to change the world power to their advantage. 

[JCauto]

22 minutes ago, bristolboy said:

 

Really?

Liberals rise in polls as Canadians rally behind Trudeau in spat with Trump: Ipsos poll

https://globalnews.ca/news/4342222/liberals-polls-canadians-trudeau-trump/

 

Erm...that supports my position. Trump didn't give him a bloody nose, Trudeau became more popular by standing up to him.

[JCauto]

28 minutes ago, blazes said:

As recently as last week, Trump proposed negotiating separately with Mexico and Canada re NAFTA.  This exclusion of Canada is a blow below the belt (if not a bloody nose).  I was actually thinking about Trump's vicious attack on Trudeau after the jollifications of the G7 meeting in Quebec.

Being viciously attacked by Trump only shows that you've bested him somehow or he dislikes you because you make him feel inadequate. Ivanka swooning over him, his out-manoeuvre on the handshake and his being far more popular worldwide just drives the Donald cray-cray. Besides, nobody takes him seriously any more, he's coming unhinged.