Anita Anand: “We have to make sure that peace is maintained and the Strait of Hormuz is open and freely navigable.”

Engagement doesn’t mean endorsement. It is necessary in order to fulfil the intentions of Canadian values, to represent those values on the world stage, to bring those values to the table.

It can make a practical difference, but the ask has to be made, and we are making the asks.

This is what we call the trade-development nexus. It is not one or the other, it is not silos.

I have asked our diplomats to do, and in fact what I am doing myself, is to say wherever we are in the world, let’s ensure that we’re advocating for Canadian commercial interests.