May Peace Be on Canada

Canada closed the embassy in Iran, and evacuated its diplomats from the country. Immediately, Canada's Minister of Foreign Affairs John Baird announced that Iranian Embassy in Ottawa had 5 days to wrap up and leave the country. John Baird noted, "Canada views the Government of Iran as the most significant threatto global peace and security in the world today." Below are the main reasons Canada has decided to cut the diplomatic relations with Iran:

-  Iranian regime is providing increasing military assistance to the Assad regime 
- [It] refuses to comply with UN resolutions pertaining to its nuclear program  
- [I]t routinely threatens the existence of Israel and engages in racist anti-Semitic rhetoric and incitement to genocide  
- [I]t is among the world’s worst violators of human rights; and  
- [I]t shelters and materially supports terrorist groups, requiring the Government of Canada to formally list Iran as a state sponsor of terrorism under the Justice for Victims of Terrorism Act.


I have no intention to discuss each argument here. However, I would like to touch on a few issues concerning myself as a Canadian. First, why would Canada be the first country to cut its ties with Iran? All the arguments listed above have never been backed on a government level, which undermines the credibility. Canada has always been known as a free and humanitarian country. By free, I mean not only democratic, but also sovereign in its conclusions. Nevertheless, the decision by the MFA of Canada damages the image, and makes one question whether the decision was made as a result of pressures. Not to mention, that’s what the Iranian Ambassador was referring to when giving his last interview in Ottawa. 

To make it short, I do not want Canada to be in a shadow of the US, and be the leader in cutting ties with countries. There is always a room for a dialogue, but if there are military actions to be taken against a certain state, I would like to see Canada leading peacekeeping missions, helping the people on the ground and assisting the Red Cross and other humanitarian organizations. Just remember the role of the Canadian embassy in Iran during the hostage crisis. Canada must maintain the image of a sovereign and independent state in its decision, while increasing its humanitarian and peacekeeping presence in the world. Canada always cared about people more than politics.