A year after an infamous Twitter spat and the gruesome murder of Jamal Khashoggi in 2018, the Canada-Saudi relationship appears poised to return to business as usual, if it hasn’t already.
Ottawa’s response to Jamal Khashoggi’s murder doubles down on “human rights” rhetoric while failing to take action. It’s a matter of the death of some in exchange for the livelihood of others.
The future for Saudi Arabia’s crown prince is uncertain following the murder of Jamal Khashoggi, but it would be foolish to expect any successor to offer substantive change.
Saudi Arabia has said it won’t curb the flow of oil to Canada, but the Maritimes should think more seriously about replacing the Saudi supply with crude from more trusted sources.
The Saudi-Canadian row offers Canada an opportunity to adopt a new Middle East policy based on universal human rights that address the needs of the many and contributes to regional stability.
The diplomatic spat between Canada and Saudi Arabia could have serious economic ramifications as well. When diplomatic ties are cut, research shows trade suffers significantly.