Smiling Over Iranian-Canadian Graves

"Not a good look to see PM Trudeau with smiling FM Zarif of Iran after Canadians killed at the hands of Iranian incompetence and malice on Ukrainian plane -- not to mention the innocent Iranian protesters killed."
Bessma Momani, senior fellow, Centre for International Governance Innovation

"I made a promise to families in Canada to do everything I could to make sure that they get answers, that we have a full and complete investigation, that we understand exactly what happened."
"I went by to impress upon the foreign minister of Iran how important it is that we work together."
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau shakes handing with Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif at the Munich Security Conference, Friday Feb 14, 2020.  IRNA

"Look, I get that leaders sometimes have to shake hands with unsavoury people. But Iran just killed [57] Canadians."
"Maybe the PM could've avoided this particular photo op. Maybe a UNSC seat isn't worth a fire-sale of every last thing Canadians hold dear."
Kaveh Shahrooz, senior fellow, Macdonald-Laurier Institute

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau did not merely warmly greet Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif in Munich yesterday at the Munich Security Conference in Germany, he obsequiously bowed to him, in a gesture of diplomatic niceties of the type that a junior country might have extended to a powerful benefactor-mentor nation. A form of greeting that would be unseemly under that condition of circumstances, but in the wake of a country known to actively court terrorism in its bid to threaten and terrorize nations averse to its agenda, which had recently killed a host of Canadian citizens, an overture impossible to overlook.

Attributable, readily enough, to Justin Trudeau's fixation on  his legacy project; securing a temporary place for Canada on the prestigious revolving United Nations' Security Council. For which ambition he has launched himself on a tour originally meant for Africa, but now extended to Latin America, and obviously to any other regions of the globe that could be instrumental in voting for Canada rather than its two competitors for the two vacant seats at the UNSC. Of the three contenders, Norway and Ireland have been more supportively engaged in UN projects.

Iranian Poropaganda sites, boast Iran's 'relations' with Canada

But Justin Trudeau won't let that stop his campaign for the coveted seat. He is going out of his way and Canada's, to 'buy' the election by handing out Canadian treasury to the countries he has engaged with, to promote Canada's chances of overcoming the odds. Just as he has proven himself not to be averse to outright bribery, nor does he hesitate to prostrate himself for the influence at the United Nations of a malign government that existentially threatens its neighbours, advancing nuclear weapons as a cudgel.

The meeting between Canada and Iran was scheduled to take place between his foreign minister, Francois-Philippe Champagne and Iran's foreign minister Javad Zarif. The meeting was not scheduled to include Justin Trudeau. His decision was to join the meeting, even as Canada is officially engaged in channeling the Islamic Republic to engage in a full and transparent investigation into the two Iranian missiles that the al-Quds branch of the Republican National Guard fired at a Ukrainian civilian passenger jet carrying 176 passengers and crew, killing all aboard.

Countries other than Turkey, Pakistan, North Korea, Qatar, Syria, Iraq and Russia do not 'engage' with Iran to 'work together'. Unless mass slaughter of unarmed civilians, and turmoil in a regional sectarian, tribal society is your goal. Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif represents a malevolent theocracy, and as such is, in the words of Canadian MP Peter Kent, "Iran's chief propagandist and cheerleader for (the) regime's terrorist agenda".

Canadians deserve better. Iranian citizens who detest and deplore their Islamist government deserve better. 

Protests took place across Iran following revelations that the fatal crash of a Ukrainian passenger jet was caused by an Iranian surface-to-air missile. Riot police and soldiers were deployed in large numbers around the capital, Tehran, especially to key sites like Vali-e Asr Square and university campuses.