Speaking on a conference call held at the conclusion of a trip to the Middle East, Baird was asked why the same kind of sanctions that forced Calgary-based Suncor to shut down operations in Libya earlier this year, when the former regime of late dictator Moammar Gadhafi was attacking civilians, would not apply in Syria.
Baird said the main difference is that Suncor's operations in Libya were to produce oil for export, while in Syria, it is extracting natural gas to generate electricity domestically.
"Cutting off families from the electricity grid would have a significant detrimental consequence on popular support for reform, and at this time, we've decided it would be negative, not positive, to cut hospitals, places of work and families' homes off electricity," Baird said.
He did not, however, rule out a change in this policy in the future.
Another big difference, Baird said, is that the United Nations Security Council is far from being in a position in which it would endorse any military intervention in Syria as it did for Libya.
"We can't even get a resolution of condemnation (against Syria), let alone sanctions, let alone what we saw in Libya through the UN Security Council," Baird said. "That's regrettable."
Baird also was asked about Canada's position on buying oil from Iran in light of some sentiment in countries such as the United Kingdom that boycotting such a major oil producer would be detrimental to the economy.
"Canada doesn't buy oil from Iran," Baird replied, noting that recent sanctions mean any money going from Canada to Iran must only be for direct transfers to family members or for operations of the Canadian Embassy.
On Monday, Canada joined Britain and the United States in imposing new sanctions against Iran in the wake of a UN report indicating Iran's nuclear program is geared toward producing weapons.
France has called for "unprecedented" sanctions against Iran that would include stopping the import of its oil to countries in the West.
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Source: Canada.com
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