Canada and Saudi Arabia Battle Over Human Rights

Guest: Oonagh Fitzgerald, a former Canadian government official who worked on international law and human rights, directs the International Law Research Program at the Center for International Governance Innovation.  About ten days ago, Canada’s foreign minister Tweeted a call for some human rights activists to be released from jail in Saudi Arabia. The Saudis responded by kicking Canada’s ambassador out, bringing the Saudi ambassador home and cutting off all future business with Canada. Saudi Airways flights to Toronto have been suspended and thousands of state-funded Saudi students attending Canadian universities have been told by the Saudi government to find somewhere else to continue their studies.