Canada and Saudi Arabia are normalizing diplomatic relations and appointing ambassadors five years after the Liberal government鈥檚 public comments on women鈥檚 rights led Riyadh to expel the Canadian ambassador.

In 2018 Global Affairs Canada tweeted that it wanted Saudi Arabia to 鈥渋mmediately release鈥� human rights activists.

Both countries maintained their embassies but Saudi Arabia downgraded its presence in Ottawa and halted trade talks with Canada, saying it was unacceptable for Canada to weigh in on Saudi Arabia鈥檚 justice system.

Global Affairs Canada says in a statement today that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman agreed during a chat last November during an international summit that they wanted to restore diplomatic relations.

The department says the two countries are putting their ties back to where they were in five years ago 鈥渙n the basis of mutual respect and common interests.鈥�

Canada鈥檚 new ambassador will be Jean-Philippe Linteau, a career diplomat who was most recently consul general in Dubai.

The Canadian Press

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