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Or sign-in if you have an account.Mark Carney cautioned he was making a “general point” and a decision hasn’t yet been made about restoring diplomatic ties with the countries. Photo by Dave Chan/AFP via Getty ImagesPrime Minister Mark Carney said Canada should move toward more diplomatic engagement with Iran and Venezuela, as a lack of resources on the ground restricts its ability to help Canadians during crises.Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.Exclusive articles from Barbara Shecter, Joe O'Connor, Gabriel Friedman, and others.Daily content from Financial Times, the world's leading global business publication.Unlimited online access to read articles from Financial Post, National Post and 15 news sites across Canada with one account.National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles, including the New York Times Crossword.Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.Exclusive articles from Barbara Shecter, Joe O'Connor, Gabriel Friedman and others.Daily content from Financial Times, the world's leading global business publication.Unlimited online access to read articles from Financial Post, National Post and 15 news sites across Canada with one account.National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles, including the New York Times Crossword.Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Access articles from across Canada with one account.Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments.Enjoy additional articles per month.Get email updates from your favourite authors.Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Access articles from across Canada with one accountShare your thoughts and join the conversation in the commentsEnjoy additional articles per monthGet email updates from your favourite authorsSign In or Create an AccountorCarney made the comments to reporters in Ottawa on Thursday after back-to-back earthquakes struck west of Caracas, killing at least 164 people and injuring more than 1,000 others.The prime minister said Canada is moving to provide humanitarian aid and will scale that support as needed. But he acknowledged it’s more difficult to respond without diplomatic representation in Venezuela, as well as in Iran and other countries with regimes it opposes.SUBSCRIBER EXCLUSIVE: FP West: Energy Insider brings you behind the oilpatch’s closed doors with exclusive insights from insiders every Wednesday morning.By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc.A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder.The next issue of FP West: Energy Insider will soon be in your inbox.We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try again“Engagement is not endorsement. Having an embassy, having consular services in a country, does not mean we endorse the policies of that country,” Carney said. “It does mean that we have people there that can help Canadians and in human tragedies can provide more immediate on-the-ground systems where we can be helpful.”“Moving towards that,” he argued, is “what we need to do.”He cautioned he was making a “general point” and a decision hasn’t yet been made about restoring diplomatic ties with the countries. Bloomberg News previously reported that two Canadian officials travelled to Caracas last month in part to examine the embassy building as Canada weighs reopening the site.Canada closed its mission in Caracas in 2019, when it formally recognized opposition leader Juan Guaidó as the country’s legitimate leader. However, Nicolas Maduro remained president until he was forcibly removed by the United States military in January. His vice president, Delcy Rodríguez, was installed as acting president.In the case of Iran, Canada closed its embassy in 2012 after formally designating the country a state sponsor of terrorism. Canada has a large Iranian diaspora, and Carney said the absence of an embassy has created challenges during the war in Iran.“We’ve had to rely on allies and countries that also aren’t our natural allies to help us, particularly in Iran, to help get Canadians out,” Carney said.“In my opinion, we must change the way we’re doing things.” Join the Conversation This website uses cookies to personalize your content (including ads), and allows us to analyze our traffic. Read more about cookies here. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.