By Stanley Ugagbe
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has maintained that the nation will not bow to pressure from Beijing to secure the release of two Canadians currently detained by the Chinese capital.
According to Trudeau who noted that Canada cannot be intimidated, bowing to pressure from Beijing to secure the release of the duo would put “an awful lot more” citizens at risk.
In his recent remarks, the number one citizen of Canada did not rescind from his stance that it would send the wrong message to drop extradition proceedings against Chinese telecommunications executive Meng Wanzhou in the hope of winning freedom for entrepreneur Michael Spavor and former diplomat Michael Kovrig.
It would be recalled that Canadian authorities had taken Meng into custody over American allegations of lying to a bank to violate sanctions on Iran, and her extradition case is now before a British Columbia court.
The Nigerian Canadian News gathered that soon after Meng was arrested in December 2018, the Chinese capital, Beijing detained Spavor and Kovrig on allegations of undermining China’s national security — developments widely adjudged as retaliation for Meng’s detention.
In a recent move to reach a truce and secure the release of the Canadians, 19 former politicians and diplomats wrote to Trudeau, urging the government to free Meng.
The letter, which was made available to newsmen, had signatories that include Jean Chretien-era ministers Lloyd Axworthy and Andre Ouellet, former Conservative minister and ambassador Lawrence Cannon and former diplomat Robert Fowler, who was himself taken hostage in 2008 in Niger.
Reacting to the letter, the Prime Minister succinctly averred that he completely disagrees with the letter-writers because bending to Beijing would endanger the millions of Canadians travelling throughout the world in normal times.
While acknowledging the pain their loved ones are feeling, Trudeau noted that Canada will continue to work “incredibly hard” to gain the release of Spavor and Kovrig.
He said “But at the same time our responsibility is to make sure that we’re also protecting Canadians into the future”.
He continued that “And if countries around the world, including China, realize that by arbitrarily arresting random Canadians, they can get what they want out of Canada politically, well that makes an awful lot more Canadians who travel around the world vulnerable to that kind of pressure.
“So we will continue to stand for our strong, independent justice system. We will do everything we can to bring home the two Michaels. And we will continue to do everything we need to do to make sure that all Canadians are protected going forward.”
The PM’s unwavering stance got support from Alliance Canada Hong Kong, a group that advocates for human rights in China.
In a statement by the group’s executive director, Cherie Wong, the body noted that “Engaging in hostage diplomacy sets a dangerous precedent that will put a target on all Canadians in China”.
Delineating on the development, the group which called on Canada to take a “strong and principled stance” to drive international condemnation of China’s tactics, stated that 123 Canadians are currently being detained in China, including 13 which were detained since Meng’s arrest.
The statement said “It is undeniable that the Chinese government is holding foreign nationals within China hostage as chips to bargain with democratic governments. There is strength in the unity of democratic societies”.
“It is therefore important for Canada to not be the first state to kneel before the (Chinese Communist Party’s) autocracy for it will only be the start of the collapse of global democracy.”
On his part, Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer, remarking on the development noted that he doesn’t believe that “setting aside the rule of law is an appropriate response to two Canadians being detained illegally.”
“I don’t believe that would leave Canadians who are around the world in a very secure position if hostile governments and hostile organizations around the world know that a government would entertain that type of a policy”.
However, the Conservative leader blamed Trudeau’s failure to stand up to China for convincing some prominent Canadians that releasing Meng is the only option to gain the release of the two Michaels.
In his words, Scheer averred that the PM ought to have retaliated by withdrawing Canadian financial support for the Asian Infrastructure Bank and imposed more inspections on Chinese goods coming into Canada.
He said “But Justin Trudeau has done none of that. He has tried precisely nothing to improve Canada’s position to give us more leverage and to show the government of China that there are consequences to mistreating Canadians”.
The party leader added that “He’s been completely played by the government of China and unfortunately his weakness has led us into this position where people are actually publicly advocating for setting aside the rule of law.”
