OTTAWA — Prime Minister Mark Carney says Canada should move toward reopening embassies in Iran and Venezuela, arguing Ottawa’s lack of a diplomatic presence in both countries is limiting its ability to help Canadians abroad and respond to humanitarian crises.Speaking Thursday, Carney said maintaining an embassy does not amount to support for a foreign government’s conduct and pointed to the deadly earthquake in Venezuela as an example of where Canada’s absence on the ground could hamper its response.“Engagement is not endorsement,” Carney told reporters.“Having an embassy, having consular services in a country, does not mean we endorse the policies of that country.”Carney said no final decision has been made, but signalled he believes Canada should head in that direction.“Moving towards that, in my judgement — a decision to be made — is what we need to do,” he said..The prime minister said the lack of a diplomatic presence in Venezuela could make it harder for Canada to provide immediate assistance following the earthquake, which Venezuelan officials say has killed scores of people, injured more than 1,500 and left about 200 trapped.The remarks mark a notable shift from past federal policy.Canada suspended operations at its embassy in Venezuela in 2019, saying the government of President Nicolás Maduro would not renew visas for Canadian diplomats. Former prime minister Stephen Harper severed diplomatic relations with Iran in 2012, closed Canada’s embassy in Tehran and expelled Iranian diplomats from Ottawa, calling the Islamic Republic the most significant threat to global peace.Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre pushed back Thursday against any move to reopen diplomatic ties with Iran and voiced skepticism about doing so in Venezuela.On Venezuela, Poilievre said the immediate priority should be helping people affected by the earthquake, but argued it was premature to restore a diplomatic presence while the country’s political future remains unsettled.“We hope we can minimize losses and give Venezuelans relief at this time,” Poilievre said.“I don’t think that is the solution. We have to see what is going to happen with the new regime, is there going to be an election. We think there should be a democratic election.”Poilievre said Venezuela’s government should be returned to the people, who he said should choose “a true democrat to restore freedom to that country.”He was more categorical on Iran.“I do not support opening an embassy in Iran, or allowing the Iranians to open an embassy in Canada,” Poilievre said.“This is a terrorist regime that has killed our people and have never ever been held accountable for the murder of 55 Canadian citizens and 30 permanent residents.”Poilievre added he does not support re-establishing diplomatic ties with Tehran or allowing what he called “thug terrorist members” of the Iranian regime into Canada under diplomatic cover.Carney’s comments come as governments around the world weigh how to respond to the earthquake in Venezuela. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has promised what he called a “big, fast, effective” American response to the disaster.
