What does the UAE have over the world that makes them bold enough to turn an access issue into a major diplomatic disagreement? They are a small country with an excessively large, and growing much larger, airline that basically depends on poaching passengers away from the local carriers in the countries they fly to. Now for the relatively few slots in Canada they have brought worldwide attention to themselves and their sleazy tactics. They cut off support for Canadian troops fighting in Afghanistan for commercial considerations, and they don't think Canadians will be deeply offended and extremely pissed off at this?
I think they are stupid, and increasingly desperate given the huge numbers of airplanes they had the hubris to order.