A major point to understand why Saudi is specifically so frustrated with Canada is that it considers that Canada broke the promises implicitly included with the $15 billion light armouted vehicle (LAV) deal. Quick thread with a bit more on that.
In 2014, Saudi agreed to buy $15 billion of LAVs. Does Saudi actually need those from a narrow military perspective? Of course not. Saudi buys expensive, advanced military kit to cement partnerships - especially with the US, then France and the UK, then others like Canada.
At the time, Canada (under Prime Minister Stephen Haprer's Conservatives) and Saudi were indeed keen to explore ways to deepen relations: more trade, especially, but also more cooperaiton in a varity of areas (security and defence, academic, scientific, cultural, etc.).
When the Liberals came to power, they decided to keep the LAV deal but (I'm simplifying here) realized that any public attention to relations with Saudi was very negative and not a political winner. Media and cicil society immediately brought attention back to the LAVs.
So the Liberals decided to not fight against public attention and just avoid any talk of Saudi (and also to avoid seriously criticizing the war in Yemen). That meant no new initiatives. Saudi was pushing for the promised deepening of relations, but always hit a wall.
Saudi, and esp its quite proactive embassy in Ottawa, grew increasingly (and vocally) irritated at what it perceived as Ottawa's passivity in front of public criticism. It was irritated that promised initiatives were not materializing. Very few Cdn officials, e.g., visited Saudi.
Of course as many like @b_momani and me said yesterday, this is more about Saudi (its increasingly reckless, assertive foreign policy and the messages it wants to send) than Canada. But this background in bilateral ties is necessary to understand why Canada specifically. End.
