Canada’s initial position supporting Washington’s war in Iran shifted over the subsequent days as U.S. President Donald Trump’s objectives became more clear, Prime Minister Mark Carney told The Canadian Press.
“The scale of what the objectives were, or the clarity about what the objectives were, were not there at the start and have arguably evolved over time,” Carney said in a Friday interview.
On Feb. 28, the day the U.S. war on Iran began, Carney expressed unequivocal support for the action. A few days later he expressed regret that Washington did not consult the United Nations on a conflict that he said likely violates international law.
The shift prompted widespread criticism from multiple quarters. Some of Iran’s opponents argued that Carney had watered down a principled stance, while some advocates for international law said Carney was contradicting his speech at Davos about rejecting hegemonic behaviour by great powers.
“Our first comment was within hours of it beginning,” Carney said in his West Block office Friday.
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Ottawa has long held the view that Iran is “the largest exporter of terror, state-sponsored terror, in the world. It’s murdered hundreds of Canadians,” Carney said. He added the Iranian regime is already causing suffering around the world and must not be allowed to acquire nuclear weapons.
“From the perspective of an action, that we’re going to reduce that, we’re supportive of those objectives,” Carney said.
“Now, there’s objectives and there’s how you pursue those objectives, and the clarity was around how they were being pursued and the extent to which they were consistent with international law.”
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While Canada has stayed out of the conflict so far, the prime minister has said Ottawa might send support to restore shipping access in the Strait of Hormuz if there is a functional ceasefire. Carney’s government is seeking investment from Gulf countries.
Carney is set to be in Armenia this weekend for the European Political Community summit, which primarily focuses on how countries from Iceland to Azerbaijan co-ordinate on politics, security and infrastructure in the wake of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Carney said “one of the reasons” he is going to the summit as the only non-European leader is that he will join colleagues who “have banded together to provide assistance once a durable ceasefire is established.”
Carney said that, despite Washington’s claims that it has paused the conflict, there is not a “durable” ceasefire.
“We’re not in that position now, to be absolutely clear,” he said.
War is going to be fantastic for Brookfields reconstruction division.
Governor Carney can’t make up his mind.
Carney had another brain far!, he has had many, if he would get something done it would amaze every one.
I would view Israel as the greatest exporter of genocide and terrorism in the Middle East. Iran is almost 2nd rate in this category.
As for the war, it is totally illegal aggression against a sovereign state and has caused major damage to the global economy and damage that may take years to repair.
Now Trump is in a position that has no exit without total embarrassment to the USA. It has also shown how ineffective the $1.5 trillion/yr US military actually is, another embarrassment to once proud nation.
Carney in Armenia for Brookfield, not Canada … to make sure they don’t get cut out of any potential deals. Many profits go to that blind trust tax-free Brookfield Bike Bank account in the Bahamas.
MR USELESS, DEMON CARNEY
Do any of you know what Trump is doing as he is mostly asleep and others are telling him what to do? Who would you like to have in charge in Canada?
Ottawa has long held the view that Iran is “the largest exporter of terror, state-sponsored terror, in the world. It’s murdered hundreds of Canadians.” How many Canadians has Trump murdered?
i would love to smack that carney
Didn’t Carney originally support the police action against Iran. Now he doesn’t. Flip flopping like a fish.
Carney is so slimy he leaves a trail wherever he goes.
Does Carney stand for anything? He flip flops constantly depending on the day. Typical for a mealy mouthed charlatan that has no skin in the game.
canada used to mean something around the world and be in good standing. now we are viewed by the rest of the world as a servant of the u.s. and england wpth no morals of any kind.in two decades we have no respect left at all.as canadians we’ been asleep as our goverments lie and betray our trust ,all of them.
Oilers lost …
Uh huh, censorship is as alive and well. Global and its fascist head swiveling all over to get that bad bad stuff about Cornhole Carney. Cant have truth getting the way now. F*ck You Global.
Flip, Flop and Slide. The By Line should have read, Carneys stance on the Iran war changes with ever Poll
My EV runs fine and is almost free to charge. Enjoy trump’s war all you fans. The new ayatollah is smarter and hates trump more. Good exit plan.
@ Pete: You can’t spell “a lot” like in grade three but you’re the Iran expert?
trump evolved? When?
used to live in a sunni country very nice people. yiu are right sunnis are alot more religious much more likely to take action for faith. we should stay out of it all together. carney is saying whatever works politically. goooo carney
Rich L: Canadian premiers are involved you think? You must have been a Rustad voter. Is he in jail?
TL2 is so smart he can’t spell.
Really? Then why not severe diplomatic ties and close up shop again?
Carney and Eby must have an under table bet going o who can waffle the most on key issue
To flip, or to flop, that is the question:
Whether ’tis nobler in the mind to suffer
the slings and arrows of a scorned Canadian public
Or to raise elbows against a sea of troubles
And by borrowing, end them.
@Mark J
Wow….just….wow
I was going to provide evidence, like UN security Council sessions 2014, but then I paused….
Are you even a real person?
No way can someone who has been alive for at least two decades be that obtuse.
Then again …
Jason Oliver is hilarious here. A buffoon.
@Mark J.
Are you dreaming in technicolor? You forget about Iran proxies all over the world. Your comment is amusing no doubt.
I hope America pulls everything from Europe. Wait a couple years. Then drop an N and create New America.. cant have it become New Pakistan after all.
The Idea that Iran is a leader in the export of terrorism worldwide is an absolute falsehood. Iran is predominantly Shia Muslim. Most Islamic terrorists are Sunni, like the guy who changed his name from al Jolani, and is now the President of Syria.
Why don’t you produce a document from an intelligence agency published by a Western government that predates the onset of the war and provide a link for reference?
Carney and Little Man Champagne has Zero Morals!!!
Carney is a coward, and spineless work.
Path of least resistance and he has no core values except lining his pocket.
Pass the salad dressing, another word salad from Karny.
Another waffle from Carney…..surprised?
Trudeau must have left his playbook in the top drawer of his desk. Wonder if Carney will shed a tear or two for dramatic effect?
His opinion changes as Brookfield wants it to.
When will you elbows up idiots realize that?
When it’s too late…as usual.
I wonder what Carney’s opinion of the USA would be (if he is still PM) in two years if the USA didn’t do anything about Iran and Iran nuked Los Angeles, New York, Houston, London, Berlin and other cities. Carney would probably be in front of the camera demanding that the USA should have done something.
Funny how many times Carney changes his opinion of something depending on the audience.
Just think, a war nobody asked for, didn’t get congressional approval, just went ahead and invaded Iran. A crooked real estate developer, draft dodger, used chapter 11 bankruptcy as a strategy to rip off those who also had to go bankrupt themselves from lack of payment and lost their businesses plus a host of little guys who never got paid. What’s his objective? He’s got his family members right now in the middle east making billion dollar deals with the Arab community. Trump is no doubt eyeballing Iran’s oil and meanwhile throws everyone under the bus, Canada included. He is a self serving wrecking ball.
Really? Changed his tune depending on circumstances instead of defending what is right and true. Uh-huh, this is YOUR PM, not mine! I did not vote for a spineless twit whose sense of morality changes in tune with his pocket book, Go to h*ll Cornhole Carney.
Try This— you can’t be serious about the USA and Irsrael being state sponsors of terror. You are totally ignorant of what is going on or you have no brain. Iran has been killing and maiming people since the 70’s , they have killed over 40000 of its own citizens, and you think that is perfectly OK? Wake up and read your history
Carney is a useless pile of manure. That goes for the EU, Great Britain and NATO and the UN. They are all cowards, fools and don’t give a damn over the slaughter of Iranian citzens by the Iranian regime. They don’t care about their own citizens in the EU, GB, Ireland, who are being conqueured by muslim hoards who hate whites, hate Captialism, hate Christianity. These leaders should all be tried for treason and hung and quartered.
Carney works for his Brookfield investments and nothing else. He will scam Canadian citizens out of taxpayers money any chance he gets. Enjoy loss of democracy and freedom elbozos.
Does Carney not realize yet that Israel and the US are the largest sponsors of terrorism? And they both have nuclear weapons.
The US just sold more weapons to Israel to help them in their goal of genocide.
How many people have died from US and Israeli actions in Iran and Gaza and Lebanon.
We can be against the methods that Iran uses, yet be against Israel assassinations and US abductions of foreign leaders.
Carney still does not understand that once the US removes their blockade, Iran will allow shipping. – it is pure posturing to say we will help open the strait.