When I was managing director of Al-Jazeera’s English network in Qatar from 2008-10, the question I was asked most related to the Canadian government led by Stephen Harper. “Please help us understand,” the question went, “how Canada can so suddenly change from being a respected honest broker in the region to becoming a strident cheerleader for only one side?” I could never find an answer that made sense.

I had that same empty feeling this week after the appalling conviction in Egypt on trumped-up charges of three Al-Jazeera journalists. This included Canadian Mohamed Fahmy who, as bureau chief, was sentenced to seven years in prison.

To those of us who care about Canada’s reputation abroad, this was not the best of weeks. The cowardly response by the Canadian government to these sentences was another reminder of how utterly clueless this government is in its handling of the Middle East. And, once again, it embarrassed us all.

We did hear sharp international condemnations.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry phoned Egypt’s foreign minister and condemned the “chilling, draconian sentences.”

British Prime Minister David Cameron said he was “completely appalled.”

Australia’s foreign minister, Julie Bishop, said she was “shocked.”

Even the Dutch government summoned Egypt’s ambassador to express its “dismay.”

But for their part, Canada’s prime minister and foreign minister remained personally silent for more than 24 hours after Monday’s verdict. This was only broken on Tuesday when Foreign Minister John Baird finally spoke to an Ottawa radio station.

Baird said that Qatar’s support of the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt and its funding of Al-Jazeera “adds a different dimension” to the case. He said that “bullhorn diplomacy” wouldn’t win the release of the three journalists. Instead, Canada is pursuing “the path that will be most effective.” And he noted that Fahmy, both a Canadian and Egyptian citizen, left Canada 11 years ago.

My, my. How self-serving and selective our foreign minister can be. Three points:

 

One: The three convicted journalists, including Fahmy, work for Al-Jazeera’s English network. This network has won hundreds of international awards, including Britain’s top prize as News Channel of the Year. Its coverage of Egypt, in particular, has been applauded for its balance and depth. Al-Jazeera English is entirely independent of its more-controversial Arabic sister channel. And at the bogus trial that just ended, the prosecution could not provide one shred of evidence that supported the charges that these three journalists were associated with the Muslim Brotherhood in any way.

 

Two: If the Canadian government doesn’t believe in “bullhorn diplomacy,” what have Harper and Baird been doing in recent months shouting denunciations of Vladimir Putin, Iran’s ayatollahs and other perceived adversaries from every hilltop? They conveniently use a bullhorn when it reflects their ideology. A Canadian Muslim of Egyptian descent doesn’t seem to qualify. As for the implied suggestion that Canadian quiet diplomacy will, at the end, produce results, no one with whom I have spoken who actually knows how Egypt’s system works believes this far-fetched scenario. In Cairo, the only foreign language understood by Egypt’s rulers is power.

 

Three: Mohamed Fahmy is a Canadian citizen, born in Egypt but brought up and educated in Canada. His parents still live in Montreal. Yes, he holds dual citizenship as many Canadians do — with the U.S., Israel and many other countries. Is Fahmy a lesser Canadian because his birthplace is Egypt? Baird noted that Fahmy has been out of Canada for 11 years. So what? He is an international journalist. Is he confined to Montreal? At various times in my career, I have lived outside of Canada for more than eight years. In Baird’s vision, is there now a “best-before” date on Canadian citizenship?

The only hope now in Egypt is a presidential pardon. But that will happen only if intense public pressure — yes, with a powerful bullhorn that can be heard from every hilltop — bears down on the vicious and corrupt regime that now rules Egypt.

If Mohamed Fahmy, and Canadians in general, can’t rely on Harper and Baird for this, we can only thank Australia, the U.S., Britain and Holland to protect our interests.

Tony Burman, former head of Al-Jazeera English and CBC News, teaches journalism at Ryerson University.

@TonyBurman tony.burman@gmail.com