There is a great deal of hand-wringing in the business press that Chinese Premier Wei Jiabao's very public and very rare rebuke of Prime Minister Stephen Harper today has been bad for business or that it will cost us business.
Globe and Mail columnist Brian Milner writes, for example, that the rebuke “serves as a stark reminder that in the post-global-meltdown world, China, more than ever, rules the economic roost. And that there is a price to pay for ignoring that fact, however much we might abhor the wretched human rights record of the thin-skinned Communist leadership.”
Really?
Here are the stats on the value of Canada-China trade. In 2007, two-way trade between the two countries was up 13 per cent. In 2008, two-way trade was up 11 per cent. In the first six months of this year, two-way trade is up by about 3 per cent — despite a recession. Those are good numbers no matter what way you slice it. Ignoring China, if you look at those numbers, has certainly not been bad for business. Could it be better? Sure. But it ain't been headed for the dumper.
The tourism industry, one must concede, has to reason to moan because while 134 other countries in the world have “approved destination status” from China — which makes it super-easy for Chinese tourists to travel to those destinations and, without which, it makes it illegal for Canadian tour operators to even advertise in China – Canada is just getting its ADS now. But wait: It was Liberal governments of a decade ago that first negotiated ADS. Why here's David Emerson, then the LIberal international trade minister in Paul Martin's government, celebrating such a deal — in 2005. And Harper gets criticized by the Chinese for not getting things done? With all due respect, Premier Wen, when you rebuke our prime minister, you rebuke all 30 million of us – Liberal, Conservative, or NDP — whether we voted for Harper or not.
Canadians are a polite and patient people, Premier Wen, and we have some tremendous social problems of our own that we are labouring to resolve. We do that in a messy, noisy way called democracy. You don't, buddy.
And, by the way, when are you going to pull your spies out of our country? Those spies are costing us a billion dollars a month! Frankly, that ticks me off that you send your security agents into a country that's stood by you for 40 years.
Now, I don't want readers of this blog to mistake this for an apology for the current Conservative government or an attack on earlier Liberal governments. Because I'm privileged to live in a country that values an independent press, I'm lucky enough to put a question or two from time to time to my prime minister — Conservative or Liberal — that might make that prime minister a bit uncomfortable. This is instead, a response, to an unwarranted slight on the government of my country, of Canada, by a country that, it seems to me, has no moral grounds for such a public rebuke of the prime minister of all 30 million of us.
We have the natural resources China's economy craves. We have the financial talent the country needs. Indeed, the state-owned China Daily today [I'm afraid I can't find the link] reported that headhunters from here have been dispatched today to Bay Street to recruit talent from Canadian financial services firm. Why? Probably because our banks have been rated the best in the world.
What about other Western powers? Do you think the Americans can talk tough to China on human rights? ABC News today said Premier Wen is among the 10 most influential individuals in the world on the U.S. economy — and the only non-American — because China holds so much American debt. Draw your own conclusions about America's ability to talk tough to China. China holds no such sway over Canada — a credit, largely, to Liberal governments for their fiscal prudence and discipline. (Prudence and discipline which the current government, frankly, has imperiled but that's an argument for another time.) So who in the West is going to call a spade a spade in China? One of its best frends — Canada — that's who.
Canada has had diplomatic relations with China for — let me check — why 40 years now! No other Western country can say that. As former Liberal foreign affairs minister Pierre Pettigrew noted today, even the arch-Conservative John Diefenbaker shipped wheat to China when that country was starving in the 50s. Liberal Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau stuck with China in the 1970s when everyone else in the West would demonize the country. Canadian newspapers were among the first to put their journalists here. And the current prime minister, Stephen Harper, has been a strong advocate for supplanting (or supplementing) the G8 with the G20, precisely because he wanted China at the table.
Canada does this because of the 1.2 million Canadians who have origins in this country and because Canada has generally believed that engagement is the best way to achieve social and political change in China.
And yet, when our prime minister travels thousands of kilometres to visit, his Chinese hosts have the gall to embarrass him in a very public way. I'll tell you something, Premier Wen: There'd be no end of the howling from the media and the opposition in Canada if a Canadian prime minister acted that way toward a guest. It's just not done where we're from.
Harper, to his credit, was polite and respectful to the Chinese in public and, in private, I am told, reminded both President Hu Jintao and Premier Wen that their record on human rights leaves much to be desired. China, let me remind you, still refuses to let independent human rights workers into its country.
Is China improving on that score? Is it ready to join the community of nations that, like Canada, subjects itself to scrutiny on human rights and faces up to whatever defects it might find? I'll let Alex Neve, the secretary general of Amnesty International Canada answer that:
“You could point to some areas of improvement but there’s so many other things that have deteriorated in that time,” Neve told me before I left for Beijing. In the last decade, there has been “the whole relentless campaign against Falun Gong. It’s within that 10-year-period we saw the unbelievably harsh crackdowns last year in Tibet and this year against the Uygher people. It’s in that 10-year-timeframe, we’ve seen the Internet suppression really take off. At the same time, it’s within that timeframe that there have been perhaps very modest steps forward in improving how the death penalty is handled in China. There has been a very encouraging growth in a domestic human rights community, of activists and researchers and human rights lawyers. That’s good news and that’s very encouraging. The flip side is, they have also been under siege. They have been targeted for harassment, imprisonment, mistreatment. Some have had to flee the country.”
Way to go China. Five years may be too long for a Canadian leader to come over and say hi but it's definitely too long for you and your colleagues to come to Canada and see what a success we've made of our plurastic, democratic society.
In the words of Liberal MP Bob Rae, “Seems to me we just have to keep on trying to persuade them that liberty is the better way. It's something we believe in and something we should share with them.”
Here's my AudioBoo version:
You're still a journo David and this rant is a bit offside.
David I was thinking the same thing, Looking at the Globe and Mail website, they were having a high five pile on , instead of maybe stepping back and for once standing up for Canada at the expense of trying to damage Prime Minister Harper and as usual the Liberals went crazy with delight.
Think you've put a good perspective around how Canada's reached out to the Chinese government. If they're going to be critical about delays, they should be reminded that it's been 20 years since Tiennamen Square and they STILL haven't taken responsibility for or made changes to their policy about public assemblies.
Hi David
I've only read your blog a few times- once because you linked to a piece of mine- but I really like this. I think I'll have to begin making you one of my regular reads. I've noticed that a lot of journalists seem to hold you in high regard. I look forward to reading more of your work.
Agree completely, it's a slight against all Canadians. As another poster said there's too much domestic partisanship schadenfreud aimed at PMSH. This is about Canada – not one person. Thanks for calling it what it is dude.
Additionally is this now the start of the Middle Kingdom feeling so economically powerful and influential that it is now feels it can scold it's vassals for not paying proper obeisance ?
Agent Smith
“Canadians are a polite and patient people, Premier Wen, and we have some tremendous social problems of our own that we are labouring to resolve. We do that in a messy, noisy way called democracy. You don't, buddy.”
Polite? You don't drive on the streets in Ottawa or Torronto or Montreal, do you? or you just cannot see that guy's middle finger?
patient == retarded
Democracy?? or hypocrisy?? or idiosyncrasy??
Your democracy is built on slaughtering millions of native Americans; your democracy means when a disease breaks out, you send them body bags instead of medicine; your democracy means your democratic governments are voted and therefore trusted by less than 30 percent of your citizens; your democracy means you keep and protect whatever criminals who bring $10 billion into your country; your democracy means you are a loser's system eventually.
It's been 500 years since you butchered native Americans. What have you done to correct it? Sending them body bags?
Oh, Cher Dieu! How small is your brain?
You are correct. Money rules the world. China has the money.
How proud are you standing on the Great Wall!
You don't complain when your US master commands your obeisance, do you?
If you aren't happy about the status of a vassal, born into a big country.
Mr. Akin – Thank you for your sensible commentary – I especially appreciated the fact that you did some basic research and fact-checking in compiling this piece – if only more journalists were willing to put some elbow grease into their work it would benefit us greatly.
The thing I find most disturbing about the Chinese premier's patronizing tone is the fact that, as you point out, here is a country that is engaged in serious economic and military espionage against us – yet they expect us to bend the knee to them…
As for the posters on here who equate Canada's native policy of a century ago with the persecution of millions by these communist despots today, well, all I can say is no wonder your loony left-wing political parties are in such disarray with folks like you running them.
here is a country that is engaged in serious economic and military espionage against us
espinage on what? how to make maple syrup? I don't think Chinese care about that crap.
maybe if you engage in some serious espionage on the Chinese, you can send somebody into space without hitchhiking a US rocket.
Excellent points David. You present a balanced and very Canadian approach to your point of view.
I can't believe that there are so many rude Canadians who are giving you a rough time for what you wrote today.
Thanks for showing such courage.
Being rude is not a right. It's a human being's emotional and biological reaction to something unfavorable.
You are rude to China now because you find China's attitude is unfavorable.
“Canadian approach”
that's how you have approached national bankruptcy.
“Alms, please, Mr. Wen.”
And Canada has the natural resources China desperately NEEDS.
'Your democracy ?'
Wow, we may have a Chinese yes man aboard!
Welcome, here you won't be executed for speaking your mind!
and what else have you got? To my knowledge, natural resources are created by God. What's in it for you to be proud of? Americans can be proud of making movies, Japanese cars, Koreans electronics. What about you, growing potatoes?
Thank you for this opinion piece Mr Akin.
This could mean you can't take the wife and kids to see the Great Wall of China.
While all the other journalists parrot the Chinese government controlled media reports,
thanks for standing up for Canada.
I am sick and tired of Canada being run down,
by the opposition, our media and citizens from other nations.
Funny how the opps jumped all over Harper for not injection himself into the healthcare debates in the US,
yet pile on over this issue.
eat your pride or bread, you choose.
A piece like this won't save your country from being run down. Ignorants like Akins and you are the ones that let Canada down.
Well Mr. Akin, if you don't think China should lecture us, then we should not lecture them in the first place. This is called what go around, come around. Basic stuff, you should know that.
Off the top of my head I'll go with just a few.
Military:
Vimy Ridge, longest confirmed sniper kill in battle, creating the concept of UN peacekeepers, 2 Battalions of Canadians fought at the battle of Hong Kong, etc etc etc;
Scientific:
Invention of the Telephone,Pacemaker,Motorized wheelchair,
Insuline,Vaccine for infant meningitis,Development of Time Zones,T-cell receptors,Theory of plate tectonics (you get the idea)
Canadian Policies:
Universal Health Care
The Charter of Rights and Freedoms ….
Specifically to China:
Over 1 Billion dollars in Aid to China, from 1983 to 2005;
Dr. Norman Bethune;
Longest Western Country to have Embassy ties with China(as above);
Sending 8000 tents and supplies as well as ongoing support to 2000 homes in Sichuan following last years earthquake;
Supporting the enlargement of the G8 to G20 (as stated above) to support China having a seat at the table……….
The history of Canada is not about slaughtering millions of native Americans. Please read our history before you throw these slanderous statements. Having said that, we could have been better to Native Americans, this is subject to public debate (something we do in a Democracy). In case you were not following the news here, we sent them medicine, in fact there has not been an outbreak of H1N1 on reserves due to our free distribution of the vaccine (for all citizens of Canada that wanted one). The body bags were a mistake and the minister responsible apologized… that's why democracy it is sometimes messy, people make mistakes and the media embarrasses them. Our Government is trusted by all of our citizens because it represents all of them, whether we voted for the party in charge of the government or not. We trust them because as soon as they lose our trust, they lose power. We trust them because we have the Charter of Rights and Freedoms and the rule of law. Meaning someone who is called a criminal (even by our Prime Minister) actually gets to defend himself in court against accusations. If evidence is presented that he has committed crimes he can be sentenced….if there is no evidence then as a country of Law we will not send him back just on China's demands…simply not done.
Democracy might become a 'loser's system some day', but that statement makes it clear that it isn't a member of the loser's group right now ( I'm looking at you one party states).
One other point, does anyone else find it amusing that on a news article regarding China's PM being rude to our PM, someone from China is continuously being rude to Canada and Canadians in their comments???
You dare compare over 50 years of oppression, mass starvation, and the deliberate murder of tens of millions (at the leas) to Canada's failings? Furthermore, What is the Communist government doing to the Uighurs, the people of tibet if not oprressing and butchering them?
The sad thing is, your government doesn't give two hoots about you or your countrymen, and is content to grind you down under it's oppressive boot; you seem content with this as well.
Correction for Anonymous. You sound like you hate Canadians so I shouldn't have assumed you were a rude Canadian. You must be some other nationality, Duh, I wonder which?
“Canada has had diplomatic relations with China for — let me check — why 40 years now! No other Western country can say that.”
– a quick check on wikipedia doesn't give many firm dates, but European countries like the UK, France, Germany and Denmark recognized the Republic of China by 1950. Apparently, in 1964 France was the first to exchange ambassadors. Italy started the process of recognizing China, and of correspondingly pissing off the Americans, in 1969.
This is his personal blog, not an instrument of Canwest/Global. He's allowed to express these opinions; he's a journalist, not a civil servant working for DFAIT.
If they hadn't slaughtered 40-70 million of their own citizens in a murderous oppressive reign over several decades, there would hardly be any need for lectures.
It is an order of magnitude greater than anything Canada has perpetrated against her own. Offing 40 million of us at any point in our history (even today) would extinguish us as a nation.
Harper had a choice – he could have cancelled the rest of his trip. He didn't.
A lot of animus from Anonymous.
Some have said Premier Wen rebuked, scolded, chided our PM. Since I have no special insight into the Premier's mind, I did not take his remarks as seriously as some have, especially given the concrete results the PM is bringing back: approved tourist destination, lifting of ban on pork imports, agreement to increase mineral resources trade, among other things.
Thanks to our PM's insistence that a global problem needs a global solution, it is now widely recognized that China, being the biggest emitter of GHGs, must play a significant role in whatever is agreed upon in Copenhagen – unless, of course, delegates finally come to their senses and admit that Al Gore, David Suzuki, and other assorted would-be saviours of the planet have been perpetrating one of the biggest scams in history. I wonder if Maurice Strong is still safely ensconced somewhere in China …
But I'll tell you what REALLY pisses me off: the people back here at home who delight in tearing down Canada's reputation, hoping to gain politically by doing so. They have such a hate-on for Harper that they're willing to denigrate our international standing. If the Chinese Premier's intention was to rebuke our PM, they applaud that. Witness Ignatieff's comment of calling the PM's visit “amateur hour.” Witness the opposition's willingness to sully the reputation of our military and of our country.
I may not know what the Chinese Premier is really thinking, but I know what the Harper-haters are ruminating on. In hopes of embarrassing Harper, they are willing to besmirch their own country's reputation. Despicable.