Last weekend, you may have witnessed the carefully orchestrated PMO photo op of Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland displaying high profile Rahaf Mohammed Al-Qunun in front of the media after arriving in Canada.
Al-Qunun is the Saudi Arabian 18-year-old who launched a social media campaign while held up in a Bangkok hotel room to escape the oppression of Saudi Arabia and her father and brother, who were there to bring her home under the country’s guardianship law, which treats women as the legal dependents of men.
It is something to be proud of that Canada was asked by the UN to grant her citizenship. How can you not feel for the girl?
But to have the foreign minister act as ring leader for her arrival at the airport was nothing short of tacky and exploitive.
At least they were smart enough not to send the PM, or perhaps he was busy.
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WATCH BELOW: Saudi teen fleeing family granted asylum in Canada
As sad as this story is, what makes this case any different from every other woman’s plight in Saudi Arabia (or anywhere) trying to do the same thing?
Nothing, other than it’s very high profile and any connection to it comes with worldwide coverage. Always good in an election year.
READ MORE: Canada grants asylum to Saudi teen who fled alleged family abuse
As when Trudeau responded to Donald Trump’s view on illegal immigrants, telling the world “Welcome to Canada” and creating a problematic flood of asylum seekers entering through holes in our border instead of proper channels, this will do nothing to solve the problem. But it does distract us from what is happening to Canadians in China.
It’s becoming obvious this government has stalled on many issues that matter to Canadians; however, Justin Trudeau’s Liberals have no trouble when it comes to a nice international selfie.
They’ve got that, mastered.
Scott Thompson is the host of The Scott Thompson Show on Global News Radio 900 CHML.
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