When crisis strikes, a country’s true character is often revealed in how it protects its citizens abroad. The ongoing conflict between Israel and Iran — with Hamas’s involvement escalating the situation — has laid bare Canada’s sluggish and reactive approach to citizen evacuation. While other Western nations quickly rolled out comprehensive plans to bring their people home, Ottawa fumbled, initially telling Canadians to “find their own way out.”
It wasn’t until Monday, days into the crisis, that we finally saw some movement: 55 Canadians were bussed from Tel Aviv to Jordan, another seven were evacuated from the West Bank, and ten more were assisted after fleeing Iran via Turkey. Though welcome, these efforts come after a period of hesitation that cannot be overlooked. When missiles are flying and airspace is shut down, every hour matters. For a country that prides itself on compassion and diplomacy, the initial inaction is both disappointing and dangerous.
The messaging from Global Affairs Canada has been vague and inconsistent. First, there was talk of “planning commercial travel options.” Then came a flurry of updates on X (formerly Twitter), signaling that something was being done — eventually. Contrast this with countries like the U.S., which had already arranged evacuations by air and sea, or France and Australia, which immediately deployed buses. Canada looked unprepared, despite having an estimated 80,000 citizens scattered throughout the volatile Middle East.
Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand insists there is still “more capacity to facilitate travel,” urging Canadians to use government-arranged buses. That’s good, but why wasn’t this readiness made available or clearly communicated earlier? For many trapped in conflict zones, especially Gaza where evacuations are still “ongoing,” delays could mean life or death.
As of this writing, a ceasefire is reportedly on the table, effective midnight Wednesday — announced not by Canadian officials, but by former U.S. President Donald Trump. Whether or not this truce holds is anyone’s guess. What we do know is that wars don’t wait for bureaucratic planning to catch up. Canada must be ready to act — decisively and transparently — at the first sign of threat to its citizens abroad.
This should serve as a wake-up call for our foreign policy apparatus. It’s not enough to offer “support on the ground” or issue travel warnings after the fact. In an increasingly unstable world, Canada needs a proactive, well-resourced, and swift crisis response mechanism that ensures no citizen feels abandoned in the face of war.
