Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand said Tuesday pinch the Canadian judge facing American sanctions complete her activity astatine an world tribunal -- but did not publically condemn Washington's decision.
On Aug. 20, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced sanctions connected International Criminal Court judges -- including Kimberly Prost, who was sanctioned complete her activity connected a case involving American troops successful Afghanistan.
France instantly condemned the move arsenic an onslaught connected impartial justice. Ottawa had nary contiguous reaction, which drew disapproval from advocates a week later.
On Tuesday, Anand wrote connected societal media that she said pinch Prost and said ICC judges do "vital work."
Judges "are entrusted to beryllium nonsubjective and impartial successful the exception of their duties. I person the utmost assurance successful Judge Prost's capacity to person done, and to proceed to do, conscionable that," she wrote.
Her connection offered nary disapproval of the U.S. for sanctioning Prost.
Anand's agency said past week that she raised concerns about the determination to punishment Prost erstwhile she met successful Washington pinch Rubio the time aft he announced that step.
Former overseas affairs curate Lloyd Axworthy said past period the Carney authorities was "abandoning" the world tribunal it helped to found, and demonstrating conditional support for the rules-based world bid it perpetually talks about.
He said Ottawa's determination not to push backmost publically connected the sanctions suggested that nationalist servants who do activity that irritates the U.S. could look individual consequences.
Mark Kersten, a University of the Fraser Valley professor who specializes successful the ICC, called connected Ottawa to instrumentality a blocking bid which would barroom Canadian businesses from enforcing American sanctions that could limit Prost's entree to things for illustration banks and airlines.
He said Anand's connection Tuesday came precocious and should person said more.
"Canada must speak retired against those who frighten our judges and diplomats and beryllium clear about really we will protect them," he said successful consequence to Anand's connection connected the level X.
He said the connection "weirdly pretends the attacks connected the ICC and Judge Prost don't exist, aliases don't travel from the authorities down south."