ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Canada is ready to help the Syrian interim government in establishing an inclusive administration, a spokesperson for Global Affairs Canada told Rudaw English on Thursday. The statement comes days after a senior Canadian lawmaker said Ottawa would not recognize the new rulers in Damascus unless it acknowledged Kurdish authority in the country.
“Canada is ready to contribute to a peaceful and inclusive political transition in Syria, ensuring that all citizens, regardless of gender, ethnicity, religion, or background, can live with dignity and security,” said the spokesperson.
Tom Kmiec, deputy speaker of the Canadian House of Commons, told Rudaw last week that if the new government in Damascus wants to be recognized and sanctions lifted by Ottawa it will have to acknowledge Syrian Kurds as "the de facto" authorities in regions they rule in the country's north and east.
"They need to reach some kind of settlement if they expect Western sanctions to be lifted — especially from countries like Canada, which still has not recognized Syria’s new government. If they want recognition and the end of sanctions, they must establish a neutral, inclusive state that acknowledges the Kurds in Rojava as the de facto authorities on the ground," Kmiec said.
The Kurdish-led administration has stated that the actions taken in Syria since the fall of the Ba'ath regime in early December are at odds with the goals of the Syrian revolution, which called for justice, democracy, equality, and freedom for all of Syria's components. As a result, it has urged the international community and the United Nations to reject the electoral process.
The new rulers in Syria have faced intense criticism following massacres against Druze and Alawite communities earlier this year. The crimes were blamed on militia groups and forces affiliated with Damascus.
Many countries, including the United States, have eased sanctions on Syria in an effort to support the country's recovery after more than a decade of devastating civil war. However, some nations have conditioned this move on positive actions from Damascus, particularly regarding human rights.
Canadian Former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was among first world leaders to congratulate rebel leader Ahmed al-Sharaa, who led the military campaign that toppled Bashar al-Assad's regime, for assuming the position.
Trudeau “stressed Canada’s support for the Syrian people to achieve progress, stability and enhance security in Syria,” according to a statement from Sharaa’s office at the time.
Since 2015, Canada has hosted over 44,000 Syrian refugees, according to Canadian government data.
In January, Canada announced $17.25 million in humanitarian aid to Syria.
