Defence Minister David McGuinty told reporters yesterday that his government believes it can both condemn violence committed by forces backed by the United Arab Emirates while also cooperating with the Gulf monarchy\u2019s military.<\/p>\n
This week, Mark Carney\u2019s government signed a memorandum of understanding that expands Canada\u2019s military cooperation with the U.A.E, which is widely accused of backing mass-killings by the Rapid Support Forces, a paramilitary group in Sudan.\u00a0<\/p>\n
When asked<\/a> by The Maple at an event in Montreal how he justifies the new agreement despite his government also condemning the killings in Sudan, McGuinty said \u201cwe can do both at the same time.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhen we deal with countries like the U.A.E., the crown prince of Abu Dhabi was in Ottawa this week, questions around what the U.A.E. is doing are raised,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cDialogue doesn\u2019t mean necessarily acquiescence, but working with other countries does not necessarily mean that Canada condones everything that\u2019s going on there.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWe will continue to expand our presence in the Middle East, expand our presence in the Indo Pacific, and of course expand our presence and acquit ourselves of our responsibilities in the Arctic,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n Shortly after the Liberal government signed the new military MOU with the U.A.E., Rachel Small with the advocacy group World Beyond War said: \u201cThe Canadian government\u2019s decision \u2026 to sign a Memorandum of Understanding on Defence Cooperation with the U.A.E. is shameful and unjustifiable.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThe U.A.E. military has played a well documented and horrific role in supporting war crimes in Sudan and Yemen. It\u2019s completely unacceptable for Canada to be rewarding this military with increased cooperation and support instead of holding them to account.\u201d<\/p>\n The Liberal government also published its new national security strategy this week, which stated<\/a> that Canada is preparing for all worst case scenarios, \u201cincluding war.\u201d<\/p>\n The Maple asked McGuinty which country he sees as currently posing the greatest military threat to Canada.<\/p>\n McGuinty said: \u201cIt\u2019s a more dangerous neighborhood we live in these days. There\u2019s more division and there are more conflicts.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cObviously, what\u2019s happening in the Middle East is of concern. Obviously, what\u2019s happening in Ukraine with Russia’s aggression is of concern.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat\u2019s happening with China when it comes to Taiwan and the Taiwan Strait is of concern.\u201d<\/p>\n