Dan Cameron of Regina writes:
During his recent visit to China our prime minister made general throwaway references to the violation of human rights in that country. Meanwhile, on the specific cases of two Canadian citizens, Kevin Garratt and Huseyin Celil, convicted on questionable espionage charges and rotting in Chinese prisons, he had nothing to say.
The Chinese government will not even allow them Canadian consular access. Indeed, when our prime minister was asked in a press conference as to their fate, he did not even mention them by name. The Leader-Post’s response? “Kudos to Trudeau for that” (Sept. 3 Bruce Johnstone column). Shame on you!
Does a trade dispute over 1 per cent vs. 3.5 per cent dockage in canola seed exports really trump the rights inherent in Canadian citizenship?
China has a significant trade surplus with Canada which, during its current economic downturn, it likely wants to preserve. Yet we have a cap-in-hand prime minister acting as a supplicant and not from a position of strength. But as usual, his photo ops are first class.
