Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird ‘putting the squeeze’ on Assad regime
Hours after two suicide car bombs detonated in Damascus, Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird announced Canada will impose further sanctions on Syria, the CBC reports. The stricter rules will ban new investment, and exports including equipment and software for monitoring communications, as well as all imports from Syria excluding food. Condemning violence against Syrian citizens by the Assad regime, Baird predicted “Assad will fall. The government will fall. It’s only a matter of time.” According to the UN, more than 5,000 people have been killed since March as the government attempts to reign in protesters. Baird also reiterated his recommendation that Canadians in Syria leave as soon as possible.