Hundreds of pro-peace activists and members of the Iranian-Canadian community, gathered outside the U.S. consulate this afternoon, calling on Canada to condemn acts of war and aggression in the Middle East.
One of the rally organizers spoke with our media partner CP24: "It's military aggression. We need to demilitarize the Middle East. I would strongly hope - I demand, actually, Justin Trudeau and the Liberal Government to condemn Trump's actions. Democrats in Congress have condemned Trump's actions. It is not authorized. The legality of it - the very legality of it is under question."
This comes after Thursday's deadly American airstrike at Bagdhad's International Airport, that left several people dead, including top Iranian General Quassem Soleimani, who some U.S. politicians described as a murderer responsible for the deaths of Americans.
Others have been lambasting U.S. President Donald Trump's decision to kill Iran's top general in an airstrike, voicing concerns it could lead to further U.S. military involvement overseas.
CP24
This demonstrator outside the U.S. Consulate in Toronto agrees: "We don't want to get involved in any wars. People in the Middle East are paying a high price for all the wars - that the people are profitting off that."
Others say the narrative being pushed about General Soleimani being a terrorist is not accurate.
This Iranian-Canadian, speaking to CP24, says General Soleimani was revered by many in Iran: "He was national hero for us because he fought ISIS. He was defending his own country... Donald Trump's reckless strategies that they are making the fire up (sic) in the region in the Middle East. He was just trying to defend his territory and that's all."
Meantime, about two dozen counter-protestors gathered across the street to show their support for the American airstrike that killed General Soleimani.
The Toronto Sun
"The Iranian Government, that's Quassem Soleimani, had killed millions of Iranian people. We had, not long ago, thousands of people slaughtered on the streets of Iran. Did these people defend the Iranian people? No! But, because one terrorist got killed by United States and I praise Mr. Donald Trump openly. I stand with him and I thank him for doing it," this passionate counter-protestor exclaimed to CP24.
Meanwhile, Canada's defence minister says a Canadian-led NATO training mission in Iraq has been temporarily suspended in the wake of the killing of Iranian General Soleimani.
Harjit Sajjan confirmed this in a statement released by NATO earlier today. It said, in part, that the security of personnel must be a top priority.
With files from The Canadian Press