(Ottawa) Less than three days before the first whistle of the World Cup in Qatar, the Trudeau government still refuses to confirm the presence of a Canadian diplomatic delegation.
The decision, we persist in saying for several days at the office of the Minister of Sports, Pascale St-Onge, will be announced “in due time”. The opening ceremony of the soccer high mass will be held on November 20; Canada will begin its journey there on November 23 by facing Belgium.
Unease surrounds the holding of the competition in the small emirate where human rights, in particular those of the LGBTQ + community, are flouted, and where thousands of migrant workers have perished in the construction work of the infrastructure necessary for the event.
Bloc Québécois MP Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe officially called on Wednesday for a diplomatic boycott of the competition for which Canada qualified for the first time since 1986. He returned to the charge during question period in the House of Commons, Thursday.
“Diplomatically, Canada just has no business there. Sunday is in three days, and the government still does not have a clear position. Will he finally plug in and confirm to us today that he will not be sending a diplomatic delegation? “, he launched.
The Minister of Sports, Pascale St-Onge, was not at the meeting.
Member of Parliament and former Olympic kayaker Adam van Koeverden answered in his place.
Without, however, answering the question.
“We are aware that there are reservations about hosting FIFA 2022 in Qatar, and we are focused on a constructive solution-oriented approach that promotes unity, because in a world where division reigns, it is we have to work together with our partners,” he argued.
The NDP is also in favor of a diplomatic boycott of international competition.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s office also wouldn’t say if he could travel to Qatar to cheer on the Canadian men’s team. He is in Thailand for the APEC Summit, and will then fly to Tunisia for the Francophonie Summit.
After their match against Belgium, the Canadian players will face Croatia (November 27), then Morocco (1er december).