Bill Kelly: Trudeau needs to do some diplomatic fence-mending

Right off the top, I agree with Canada’s stance against human rights violations in Saudi Arabia.

As the well-worn political axiom states, if you don’t stand for something, you stand for nothing, and Canada has been consistent in their criticism of egregious Saudi human rights violations, including the imprisonment of human rights activists.

However, it’s clear that the current spat between the two countries has been mishandled from the start.

Protocol suggests that protests and concerns of this nature should be articulated through official channels like the Prime Minister’s Office or the Minister of Foreign Affairs but not through Twitter.

Canada is already dealing with the bully tactics of the Trump administration and from an economic standpoint, we can ill afford to become embroiled in another battle with the Saudis.

WATCH: Canada’s allies stay neutral during dispute with Saudi Arabia

2:04 Canada’s allies stay neutral during dispute with Saudi Arabia

The reluctance of our G7 allies to defend Canada’s stance shows that, while Canada’s human rights concerns may be morally correct, they are also politically hazardous.

And there’s the rub.

The Saudi overreaction to Canada’s stinging comments may be way over the top, but the economic consequences are significant.

Can the prime minister do the necessary diplomatic fence-mending with Saudi Arabia without stepping down from the moral high ground?

How Justin Trudeau handles this problem could have a profound effect on Canada’s international reputation and his own political future.