Ties with Iran cut because it was added to ‘terrorism list’: John Baird

National Post ^ | September 14, 2012 | Stewart Bell

[Squawk 8888]

TORONTO — As violence and extremism threatened to undo the gains of the Arab Spring, Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird said Friday Canada would focus on helping countries emerging from dictatorship by promoting the full participation of women.

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Baird made no mention in his speech about his surprise decision to suspend diplomatic relations with Tehran. The NDP has criticized the move. But later, Mr. Baird told reporters the government was required by legislation passed in March to produce a list of state sponsors of terrorism by Friday. He said since Iran was to be placed on the list, he was concerned about the safety of embassy staff.

“I don’t know how you’d call a state a ‘state sponsor of terrorism’ and then leave men and women on the ground there,” he said, adding, “Our embassy in Tehran is not as safe as we’d like it to be. It’s right on the road, there’s no set back, and that was another contributing factor .… At the end of the day it just became uncomfortable for us to leave it open.”

[Squawk 8888]

And where does Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition stand on these issues?

Responding to the minister’s speech, Paul Dewar, the NDP foreign affairs critic, said there was a gap between what the government said and what it did. He said if the government was serious about women’s rights it would have supported access to abortions under the child and maternal health strategy.

[Former Proud Canadian]

Baird and Harper look like geniuses for closing the embassy in Teheran last week. Their detractors are idiots and fools.

[Squawk 8888]

Canada Ping!

[austingirl]

Just exactly what are “the gains of the Arab spring?”

[molson209]

The NDP = New Democratic Party = Social-democratic federal political party in Canada

[Squawk 8888]

I think it was the five minutes between the old dictator falling and the new one taking over.