Former foreign affairs minister, John Baird, is in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, where he took the opportunity to smear Justin Trudeau. Thanks, John.
John Baird appeared on Saudi state TV over the weekend to denounce the Trudeau government for its “gratuitous attack” on the Saudi regime.
“For Canada to treat a friend and ally this way has been incredibly unhelpful,” Baird told the English-language arm of Al Arabiya, the Saudi-owned equivalent of Al Jazeera.
Baird added that the best way to resolve the crisis would be for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to fly to Riyadh to apologize in person to the Saudi royal family.
“I think the Canadian government is only beginning to understand how offensive their conduct has been to the Saudi government,” he said.
“This is giving Canada a bad reputation.”
Baird now works at a series of consultancy roles, including a position on the advisory board for Barrick, a major mining firm with interests in Saudi Arabia. The company owns a 50-per-cent stake of Jabal Sayid, a copper mine that began production in 2016.
When Baird was foreign affairs minister under then prime minister Stephen Harper, he was known as a frequent and sometimes aggressive supporter of human rights abroad.
Why is it when these Harper alumni open their mouths they always leave such a stain?
6 comments:
Baird is involved with a company that does business in SA. I suspect his opinion is really about money.
Because previously ... this ...'Back in January 2015 then Conservative foreign affairs minister John Baird tweeted something similar: “Canada is deeply concerned by flogging of Raif Badawi – it is a violation of human dignity and freedom of expression.”' - Furey, Sudbury Star, Aug.9/18
UU
Yeah, that was then, this is now. However as a Privy Councillor (2006) he should know he's expected not to undermine Canada or its government.
Yes....John Baird....so loyal to his country Canada. And he will no doubt be looking to become a Prime Minister of Canada. Could John Baird be compared to someone south of us? Anyong
Anyong, I can compare John Baird to many individuals who have left their unfortunate mark on this Earth.
I wish I knew the ins and outs of the Privy Council. It strikes me that you're not supposed to side with a hostile foreign power against your own country but I suppose I could be mistaken. Still there doesn't appear to be anything "honourable" in the antics of the Honourable John Baird.
In my view if you want to retain that honorific you don't attack your government and throw your support behind a thug like Mohammad bin Sultan.
He was incompetent as Minister of Foreign Affairs. Nothing has changed.
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