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’s military.

This week, Mark Carney’s government signed a memorandum of understanding that expands Canada’s 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. 

When asked 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 “we can do both at the same time.”

“When 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,” he said.

“Dialogue doesn’t mean necessarily acquiescence, but working with other countries does not necessarily mean that Canada condones everything that’s going on there.”

“We 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,” he added.

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: “The Canadian government’s decision … to sign a Memorandum of Understanding on Defence Cooperation with the U.A.E. is shameful and unjustifiable.”

“The U.A.E. military has played a well documented and horrific role in supporting war crimes in Sudan and Yemen. It’s completely unacceptable for Canada to be rewarding this military with increased cooperation and support instead of holding them to account.”

The Liberal government also published its new national security strategy this week, which stated that Canada is preparing for all worst case scenarios, “including war.”

The Maple asked McGuinty which country he sees as currently posing the greatest military threat to Canada.

McGuinty said: “It’s a more dangerous neighborhood we live in these days. There’s more division and there are more conflicts.”

“Obviously, what’s happening in the Middle East is of concern. Obviously, what’s happening in Ukraine with Russia's aggression is of concern.”

“What’s happening with China when it comes to Taiwan and the Taiwan Strait is of concern.”

McGuinty has previously hinted at providing military support to Gulf countries that hosted U.S. military bases and have come under fire from Iran’s retaliatory strikes that followed the U.S.-Israeli war of aggression against it.

He made no mention of U.S. President Donald Trump’s repeated threats against Canadian sovereignty, including with calls to turn Canada into the “51st” U.S. state.

A Pew Research poll last year found that 59 per cent of Canadians see the U.S. as posing the greatest threat to Canada.