The gathering of world leaders at the UN General Assembly later in September offers an unprecedented opportunity for Prime Minister Trudeau to demonstrate how Canada will contribute to a new global diplomatic effort to reduce nuclear dangers.
What can be more important for the “rules based international order” that Foreign Minister Freeland purports to champion than binding nuclear arms control agreements? Canadian leadership please!
Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland spurns a high-level meeting on nuclear dangers hosted by her Swedish counterpart. Meanwhile, she and the Prime Minister remain silent over heightening tensions between Iran and USA.
Despite rising threats and increasing economic strangulation by the USA, Iran continues to abide by its obligations under the nuclear deal which the USA walked away from a year ago.
The utter lack of constructive Canadian engagement is the disturbing theme that unites this week’s roundup of events regarding Venezuela, Saudi arms transfers, increased Russia-USA tensions and Trumpian efforts to transfer sensitive nuclear technology to Saudi Arabia.
We call on the Canadian government to re-invigorate dialogue with Iran, prioritize support for the INF Treaty and ensure prompt accession to the global Arms Trade Treaty.