Business spat boils over into diplomatic row

Canada’s denial of extra landing rights for United Arab Emirates national carriers Emirates Airlines and Etihad Airways after five years of negotiations has strained relations. The UAE responded in October by forcing Canada to close a military base in Dubai that was part of a key supply route to Afghanistan, denying a plane carrying Canadian defence minister Peter MacKay, who was flying from Afghanistan, airspace over the UAE and causing it to take a long detour.