The Bridge with Peter Mansbridge Why Hasn't Canada Condemned The US Boat Attacks On Venezuela?
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Dec 8, 2025 
Dr. Janice Stein, a foreign policy expert at the Munk School, shares insight into Canada's silence on U.S. attacks against Venezuelan boats. She discusses Ottawa's cautious stance due to its ties with the U.S. and the complexity of its Caribbean forces. The conversation touches on the U.S. political fallout, the legality of the strikes, and the strategic underpinning of American oil interests in Venezuela. Janice also highlights Canada's constrained choices and suggests a wait-and-see approach as U.S. politics evolve.
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Canada's Calculated Silence
- Canada stayed publicly silent on U.S. strikes in the Caribbean despite historical leadership on Venezuela issues.
- Janice Stein suggests Ottawa is waiting because criticizing the U.S. could carry significant diplomatic and economic costs.
Attacks Likely Constitute War Crimes
- Janice Stein condemns the attacks and labels killing survivors a clear war crime under international law.
- She criticizes U.S. leadership for dodging responsibility and mishandling accountability for forces' actions.
U.S. Strategy Reasserts Hemisphere Control
- The new U.S. National Security Strategy asserts U.S. dominance in the Western Hemisphere and includes language about 'ownership of key assets.'
- Stein warns this threatens Canadian interests and signals a stronger Monroe Doctrine-style stance.
