On Thursday, Professor Reem Bahdi, Dean Christopher Waters and the Transnational Law and Justice Network at Windsor Law welcomed two expert panelists for the discussion "Canada and Saudi Arabia: Legal Frameworks and Policy Options." The panel urged Canadians to make foreign affairs and human rights an election issue.
“We’re not seeing human rights and foreign affairs raised compared to what we saw in the last election,” said Jackie Hansen, Amnesty International Canada’s gender rights campaigner.
“They (leaders and candidates) are out there and we have to go talk to them. If it’s not raised by (voters), they don’t know it’s important to constituents.”
Hansen, who gave a presentation on her work with Saudi activists seeking more reforms, was joined by Peggy Mason, former Canadian Ambassador for Disarmament to the UN and president of the Rideau Institute.
In her presentation, Mason lambasted the federal government for being a top-five donor for humanitarian causes in Yemen while also being a top-five in arms sales to Saudi Arabia.
“It’s not logical to continue to sell the Saudis the light-armoured vehicles (LAV) that are partially causing the humanitarian crisis in Yemen and then send money to help with the problem,” Mason said.
“How many Canadians know how involved we are in Yemen in supporting the war effort?
“Canadians would be shocked.”