A large Saudi cultural delegation is set to arrive in Ottawa later this month, an initiative critics describe as a calculated attempt to rehabilitate the Kingdom’s image amidst a controversial multi-billion-dollar arms deal with Canada. Approximately 100 dancers, singers, and other performers are scheduled to participate in a four-day series of events from May 18-21, designed to showcase Saudi cultural traditions. This event, known as Saudi Cultural Days, is an annual occurrence held in various countries globally, having previously taken place in Indonesia earlier this year and at UNESCO headquarters in Paris 14 years ago.
This marks the first time Saudi Cultural Days has been held in Canada in 35 years, according to a report in The Hill Times. Its timing coincides with growing Canadian opposition to Saudi Arabia's human rights record. Cesar Jaramillo, head of the anti-war group Project Ploughshares, stated that while fostering intercultural understanding is not inherently wrong, the timing of this particular initiative is "highly suspect." He further noted the absence of a Saudi cultural delegation in Canada for over a quarter century, highlighting its visit "in the midst of Canada’s highly controversial multi-billion arms deal with Saudi Arabia."
Compromising Western Principles
The $15 billion arms deal, brokered between Canada and Saudi Arabia, has placed Ottawa on the defensive. It was revealed that Canada’s foreign affairs minister personally approved export permits for light-armoured vehicles destined for Riyadh. Ottawa has maintained that reneging on the deal, which was negotiated under the previous Conservative government, would damage its international reputation. Furthermore, Canadian officials argued that if Canada did not sell the weapons to Saudi Arabia, another country with less stringent safeguards would. This position underscores a strategic compromise of Western principles for economic expediency.
Just two months ago, a 70-person Canadian delegation, including representatives from the health, education, agriculture, defence, and mining and manufacturing industries, traveled to Saudi Arabia on a trade mission. Ed Holder, a former Conservative MP who led the group, asserted that the most effective way to positively influence any country is "through trade." Holder also stated, "It’s not going to be my place to tell the Saudis how to run their country," a sentiment that reflects a broader Western reluctance to confront authoritarian regimes on fundamental human rights issues.
The Authoritarian Reality
The human rights record of Saudi Arabia remains a significant concern, exemplified by the case of jailed Saudi blogger Raif Badawi, whose wife and three children have sought refuge in Quebec. This case highlights the stark contrast between the Kingdom's legal-political system and Western liberal democratic values. The Saudi embassy in Ottawa did not respond to repeated requests for comment regarding these concerns.
Shaza Fahim, an official at the Saudi embassy, informed The Hill Times that the cultural event is intended to "highlight the friendship between Saudi Arabia and Canada." A statement emailed to the newspaper claimed that Saudi Cultural Days are planned three years in advance and that the events in Ottawa have "nothing to do with the sale of armoured vehicles." However, this assertion is challenged by the context of the ongoing controversy.
Strategic Capitulation
Three months ago, the Saudi embassy decried Canadian media coverage of the weapons deal as "sensationalised and politicised," stating it did not accept outside interference into its internal affairs. This rejection of external scrutiny is characteristic of authoritarian states. Jaramillo concluded that it requires "little cynicism to see this as a blatant attempt to soften Canadian views on Saudi Arabia in the context of the arms deal." He added that the "abysmal" Saudi human rights record "cannot be whitewashed with dancers and cuisine," emphasizing the enduring reality of the Kingdom's governance despite cultural overtures. The willingness of Western nations to engage in such transactions, while overlooking fundamental human rights abuses, represents a concerning capitulation of core civilizational values.