Saudi Arabia withdrawing students from Canadian schools, suspending flights to Toronto

Globe and Mail ^ | 8-6-2018 | Steven Chase

[tcrlaf]

The Saudi Arabian government plans to withdraw all Saudi students studying at Canadian universities, colleges and other schools in retaliation for Canada criticizing the country’s human-rights record.

A Saudi government source, who wasn’t authorized to speak publicly on the matter, said there are more than 15,000 Saudis here on government-funded scholarships, grants or in trainee programs. Accompanying family members bring the number to 20,000 or more.

The Saudi students will be moved immediately to study programs in other countries with similar education systems, such as Britain or the United States, the Saudi official said.

Separately, Saudi Arabian Airlines, via the official Saudi Press Agency, announced Monday it will suspend all flights to and from Toronto as of Monday August 13.

This punitive action is being taken against Canada after Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland and her department last week publicly called for the immediate release of civil-rights activists in the Mideast country and signaled concern over a new crackdown on dissidents by Riyadh.

In response, Saudi Arabia expelled Canada’s ambassador Sunday, recalled its ambassador and froze new trade dealings with Canada, decrying what they called foreign interference in their domestic affairs. The Saudis said they will “put on hold all new business and investment transactions with Canada while retaining its right to take further action.”

[BobbyBelle]

As an Albertan, good riddance you Islamic bastards.

I'm also Albertan and would love to see the Saudi’s stop shipping oil to Quebec.