Prime Minister Justin Trudeau rebuffed a Saudi demand Wednesday for
Canada to fix what it calls a `big mistake` - a reference to the
Trudeau government raising concerns about the jailing of human rights
activists in the kingdom.
The diplomatic brawl between Canada and Saudi Arabia shows no signs of
abating after the kingdom`s foreign affairs minister publicly demanded
that Canada withdraw its criticism of his country`s human rights
record �` something Prime Minister Justin Trudeau refused to do Wednesday.
Speaking to reporters in Riyadh, Adel al-Jubeir said there will be no
reconciliation between the two countries unless Canada recants its
condemnation of Saudi Arabia`s decision to jail prominent women`s
rights activists Samar Badawi and Nassima al-Sadah.
`Canada knows what it needs to do,` he said.
Trudeau said Canada will not apologize for standing up for Canadian
values and human rights �` even if it risks ruffling the feathers of a
global partner.

`Canadians have always expected our government to speak strongly,
firmly and politely about the need to respect human rights around the
world. We will continue to stand up for Canadian values and human
rights. It`s something that I will always do,` the prime minister told
reporters after an announcement in Montreal.
`We continue to engage diplomatically and politically with the
government of Saudi Arabia [but] Canada will always speak strongly in
private and in public on questions of human rights. People around the
world expect that kind of leadership from Canada. We will remain firm.`
Badawi is the sister of Raif Badawi, a Saudi dissident blogger who has
been imprisoned by the Saudi government since 2012 on charges of
apostasy and `insulting Islam through electronic channels.` Raif
Badawi`s wife, Ensaf Haidar, and their three children have been living
in Quebec since 2015 after fleeing the kingdom.
Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland sent a tweet last week
saying she was alarmed by Badawi`s imprisonment and calling for the
release of `peaceful` human rights activists �` a statement which drew
the ire of the Middle Eastern kingdom`s governing monarchy.
`A mistake has been made and a mistake should be corrected,` al-Jubeir
said Wednesday. `Canada needs to fix its big mistake.`

Saudi Arabia`s Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir says Canada must
withdraw its recent criticism of his country`s human rights record.
A subsequent tweet from the Saudi foreign affairs ministry said the
country would not `accept dictates` or `interference` in its internal
affairs from Canada.
`The matter is not about human rights; it is a matter of national
security. Saudi Arabia build (sic) relations based on mutual respect,
respect for the sovereignty of states and not interfering in the
affairs of other countries,` one of the Saudi government tweets said.
Trudeau confirmed Freeland had a telephone conversation with her Saudi
counterpart on Tuesday, and lines of communication between the two
countries remain open.
In addition to dealing directly with Saudi Arabia, a government
official speaking on background told CBC News that Freeland is calling
or arranging calls with countries in Europe and the Middle East to see
if they can help resolve this standoff.
Freeland has already spoken with Sweden and Germany, two countries
that have had similar battles with Saudi Arabia in the past.
The official told CBC News that commenting on human rights is a key
part of the Trudeau government`s foreign policy and that approach is
not about to change. The official said that Freeland privately raised
human rights concerns directly with the Saudi foreign minister earlier
this year in Bangladesh, during a meeting of the Organization of
Islamic Cooperation Council of Foreign Ministers.
Trudeau, meanwhile, said he doesn`t want Canada to have `poor
relations` with the kingdom.
`This is a country that has some importance around the world. It is
making progress when it comes to human rights. But, at the same time,
we have to speak out about the challenges there and elsewhere,`
Trudeau said in French.
The government has faced criticism from some quarters �` from former
Conservative foreign affairs minister Peter MacKay, among others �` for
admonishing Saudi Arabia

through a tweet, rather than voicing concerns
through the normal diplomatic channels.
But Trudeau said Canada is in direct discussions with countries around
the world and that he saw nothing wrong with using modern
communication tools to share Canada`s concerns.

Prime Minster Justin Trudeau explains why his government sometimes
uses twitter to get its diplomatic message out to the public 0:21
`We will continue to make statements and we will continue to use the
full range of methods of communication as appropriate,` he said.
`We have to use as many tools as we can to get our message out across
in the modern world,` he added in French.
Al-Jubeir`s comments come as the country �` an autocratic state
controlled by the House of Saud �` recalls Saudi nationals attending
Canadian universities and pulls Saudi patients from Canadian hospitals.
Saudi Arabia reviewing Canadian investments
The Financial Times reported Wednesday that the country`s rulers also
have asked asset managers to sell Saudi-owned stakes in Canadian
enterprises. The country also will stop purchasing Canadian wheat and
barley �` a trade move that is not expected to be all that damaging,
since Canada hasn`t sold any wheat or barley to the kingdom this year.
The fate of a $15 billion deal to sell Saudi Arabia light-armoured
vehicles (LAVs) from London, Ont.-based General Dynamics remains unknown.
The kingdom is considering `other measures,` al-Juberi said without
elaborating. Saudi Arabia already has expelled the Canadian ambassador.
A spokesperson for Global Affairs Canada told CBC News the department
`continues to seek clarity` from the government of Saudi Arabia on
`various issues.`
`The embassy`s trade officers, in addition to the wider Trade
Commissioner Service, are actively engaged with Canadian business
interests and will continue to work with them and the relevant
authorities in the coming days,` the spokesperson said. `Our
government will always support Canadian workers and industries, and
defend their interests at home and abroad.‎`
Liberal MP Omar Alghabra, a parliamentary secretary to the minister of
foreign affairs, said the government was `surprised` by the
heavy-handed Saudi response to the tweet, given how Canada has
repeatedly voiced concerns about the state of human rights in the
country �` a place frequently cited for its abysmal treatment of women,
minorities, foreign labourers, dissidents and human rights advocates,
among others.
`It was their decision to escalate the situation �` we have done
nothing out of the usual �` and we`re interested in maintaining
dialogue with Saudi. The Saudis made this decision and hopefully the
Saudis will come to the table and engage us in a frank and
constructive way,` he said in an interview with CBC`s Power & Politics.
Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs Omar
Alghabra tells Power & Politics that Canada has done nothing out of
the usual in the diplomatic spat with Saudi Arabia. 8:57
So far, Canada`s closest allies �` the United States and the United
Kingdom �` have issued rather tepid statements and are refusing to
condemn the Saudi actions.
Heather Nauert, a U.S. State Department spokeswoman, said Tuesday the
U.S. is urging Canada and Saudi Arabia to use diplomacy to resolve
their dispute.
`Both sides need to diplomatically resolve this together. We can`t do
it for them, they need to resolve it together,` Nauert said in a briefing.
In a written statement, the State Department referred to both Canada
and Saudi Arabia as close allies.
Similarly, a spokeswoman for the U.K.`s Foreign and Commonwealth
Office said the two countries are `close partners` of the United
Kingdom and urged restraint.
`The U.K. is a strong supporter of human rights. We regularly raise
our concerns with the Saudi government about human rights issues,
including the recent arrests of human rights defenders,` the
spokeswoman said. V.2380

One of the highlighted topics: Critical Skills Visa.

- Key Insight: Is your profession on the Critical Skills List? This visa is your fast track to working in South Afr...
- This matter relates to critical skills visa and its broader implications.
- Individuals are advised to seek professional guidance.

Is your profession on the Critical Skills List? This visa is your fast trac V.6139
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One of the applicants, Phindile Mazibuko, became a victim of identity theft in 2012 when fraudulent transactions occurred, using her personal details.

-The Pretoria High Court found that the department of home affairs had violated constitutional rights without due process.
-Only half of Lawyers for Human Rights` test group has been unblocked, while 385 000 identities remain blocked nationwide.
-LHR appeals extension, urges affected people to seek help now.

Lawyers for Human Rights (LHR) are intensifying pressure on the department of home affairs over the national ID-blocking crisis, accusing the state of acting too slowly to unblock qualifying individuals despite a landmark court ruling.

In January last year, the Pretoria High Court found that the department`s practice of blocking IDs without due process was unlawful and unconstitutional. One of the applicants, Phindile Mazibuko, a Swati citizen and South African permanent resident since 1998, fell victim to identity theft in 2012 when fraudsters used her personal details.

 V.6133
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The Border Management Authority (BMA) has doubled its staff at Airports in South Africa , including immigration officers.

What does this mean for travelers? V.6128
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The Border Management Authority (BMA) has doubled its staff at Airports in South Africa , including immigration officers.

What does this mean for travelers? V.6129
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A Washington state mother and her 6-year-old son have been released after spending more than three weeks in US immigration detention due to a brief trip to Canada and a small paperwork mistake, her attorney told CNN on Saturday.

Sarah Shaw, a New Zealand citizen who has lived legally in the US since she arrived in 2021, was detained at the Blaine, Washington, Customs and Border Protection checkpoint when returning home after dropping her two oldest children off at the Vancouver airport for a flight to visit their grandparents in New Zealand. Shaw, 33, chose the flight out of Vancouver because it was direct and she didn`t want her children to have to navigate a layover alone, her attorney Minda Thorward, told CNN.

 V.6130
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On 22 July 2025, the Gauteng High Court dismissed Sitrusrand Boerdery`s review of the Department of Employment and Labour`s refusal to issue a Working Conditions and Salary Benchmarking Certificate, an essential precondition for obtaining corporate visas under the Immigration Act.

Acting Judge Kekana AJ held that the Department`s decision was lawful, rational and procedurally fair. This judgment illustrates how businesses can - and must - structure their corporate visa applications to meet statutory requirements, and how legal practitioners should prepare robust review challenges when administrative authorities decline to recommend foreign-work permits.

 V.6131
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The United States could forfeit an estimated 9.4 billion dollars in visitor spending over the next three years following the introduction of a new 250 dollars `visa integrity fee,` according to industry groups, who warn the policy risks undermining tourism and costing thousands of jobs.
The United States’ decision to introduce a 250 dollars `visa integrity fee` on international visitors has triggered sharp criticism from the global tourism industry, with officials warning that the measure could deter millions of travellers and cost the U.S. economy billions.
The 250dollar `visa integrity fee,` part of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act signed on July 4, 2025, will take effect later this year. According to immigration law firm Envoy Global, it applies to all nonimmigrant visa holders which include students, tourists, temporary workers, and business visitors particularly from African countries. V.6132
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The Border Management Authority (BMA) has doubled its staff at Airports in South Africa , including immigration officers.

What does this mean for travelers? V.6127
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1. Right to Legal Representation•You have the right to consult with a legal representative.•Contact an immigration practitioner, legal aid clinic, or attorney urgently.•Do not sign any documents without understanding them fully. 2. Section 34 of the Immigration Act•You must be brought to court with 48 hours to confirm arrest but you can remain locked up very long as courts figure out what to do with you •If you`re found to be illegally in South Africa, you may be detained for up to 30 days (extendable by a magistrate) pending deportation.•BUT this cannot happen arbitrarily. You must be informed of your rights, and Home Affairs must follow due process.- becomes a nightmare , you could lose your job , business , place to stay V.6121
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Driving for Bolt, Uber, Mr D, or Checkers Sixty60?If you`re undocumented, you`re risking more than just your income.The Risks if You`re Not Legal: - Vehicle impoundment - Heavy fines - Arrest & deportation - Permanent bans from working in SA V.6122
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