A well written article. This is a key and critical post. It must be held by someone who is experienced and stands for what Canadians overall stand for.
Agreed, but what do we do when we keep re-electing an individual that admires "basic dictatorships?" What does that tell Xi and the party?
It's quite obvious that the rhetoric we were fed 30 years ago about how trading with a tyranny would force it to become more open, were nothing but lies. We've had nothing but Chamberlains leading western democracies for the last 30 years. We could use a little Churchill. We are far worse off today than we were in 1992. If this keeps up, Canada, and its current boundaries will not be around much longer. We will be sliced up by China, Russia, America and Europe. The international community couldn't care less about us.
I think this is a generational issue in that recent generations have grown up in an era of peace and prosperity. They are spoiled and don't like to play hardball...or don't recognize when it's necessary. I have a uncomfortable feeling that we're about to pay the bill for this with a belligerent China and Russia.
And please don't pin this all on Trudeau or use that tired, out of context, "Justin loves communist China" accusation. I'm not a fan of his but don't forget that Stephen Harper didn't like diplomats at all, closed our Embassy in Iran for no good reason and had a giant, Cult of Personality poster of himself hanging outside our Embassy in Beijing. We've been badly served by both parties who value commerce over everything else.
If we disapprove/condone/criticize the Chinese government, why do we buy everything (or practically everything) made and manufactured there? From electronics, to tools, every item, and I mean every one of them, sold at Walmart, Dollarama is made in China. After last year's fiasco with the directive from our government regarding "do not use mask" until July 2020, due to a shortage, you would think that Canada is manufacturing our own supply. No sir. Last week, I was buying a box of masks, here in Montreal, at the local J. Coutou, and every brand and type was made in the PRC. So how can we criticize the Chinese gov. and continue to benefit from their cheap production ?
Enjoyable read. Unfortunately the Government of Canada and Canadians are adamant that we committed genocide so it is difficult to demean China for something we too are guilty of. Canada has little resemblance of a democratic nation as our Parliament is barely attended. Its far to dangerous for the Government to gather in it. Elections, Conferences and COP26 are virus free, its just our Parliament that seems fraught with COVID. Once the Liberal/NDP Coalition push in the draconian internet censorship bill and further the war against free speech, what can be left to call freedom. We no longer have control over what they put in our bodies as compliance is mandatory for vaccines, regardless of your situation. Canada is nothing but the mirror image of the Communist regime that our Prime Minister so admires. Values? The chosen one will have to redefine values before he can champion them.
>Hate, fear, saber rattling and confrontation are pathetic substitutes for the diplomacy, rapprochement and the civility required to secure a better future.
Obviously hate, fear, and saber-rattling aren't the answer, but you must not be very familiar with the CCP regime if you think diplomacy, rapprochement, and civility are viable strategies for dealing with that organization. (I'm speaking as someone who grew up in China.)
Also, I largely agree with your assessment of the US, but I must say it's quite amusing that to see that more than half of your response to my post about the CCP consists of bashing Uncle Sam. And it's certainly not the first time I've had this type of reaction from a western left-winger after I call out the CCP. Reverse American exceptionalism sure is a problem...
> [China has] said repeatedly they do not want war or empire and I take their word for it until they prove otherwise.
> Where you grew up doesn't matter as much as knowing history- it matters very much.
You would do well to take your own advice and read up on modern Chinese history and how the CCP operates. It pains me to see so many Western progressives such as yourself be so oblivious to the nature of that regime.
A well written article. This is a key and critical post. It must be held by someone who is experienced and stands for what Canadians overall stand for.
Agreed, but what do we do when we keep re-electing an individual that admires "basic dictatorships?" What does that tell Xi and the party?
It's quite obvious that the rhetoric we were fed 30 years ago about how trading with a tyranny would force it to become more open, were nothing but lies. We've had nothing but Chamberlains leading western democracies for the last 30 years. We could use a little Churchill. We are far worse off today than we were in 1992. If this keeps up, Canada, and its current boundaries will not be around much longer. We will be sliced up by China, Russia, America and Europe. The international community couldn't care less about us.
I think this is a generational issue in that recent generations have grown up in an era of peace and prosperity. They are spoiled and don't like to play hardball...or don't recognize when it's necessary. I have a uncomfortable feeling that we're about to pay the bill for this with a belligerent China and Russia.
And please don't pin this all on Trudeau or use that tired, out of context, "Justin loves communist China" accusation. I'm not a fan of his but don't forget that Stephen Harper didn't like diplomats at all, closed our Embassy in Iran for no good reason and had a giant, Cult of Personality poster of himself hanging outside our Embassy in Beijing. We've been badly served by both parties who value commerce over everything else.
I have that same feeling and you're right, Harper et al along with all western democracies since the end of the cold war have lead us here.
Sorry J Michael Cole but I stopped reading after comment about John McCallum “called it quits”; he was forced to resign.
If we disapprove/condone/criticize the Chinese government, why do we buy everything (or practically everything) made and manufactured there? From electronics, to tools, every item, and I mean every one of them, sold at Walmart, Dollarama is made in China. After last year's fiasco with the directive from our government regarding "do not use mask" until July 2020, due to a shortage, you would think that Canada is manufacturing our own supply. No sir. Last week, I was buying a box of masks, here in Montreal, at the local J. Coutou, and every brand and type was made in the PRC. So how can we criticize the Chinese gov. and continue to benefit from their cheap production ?
Enjoyable read. Unfortunately the Government of Canada and Canadians are adamant that we committed genocide so it is difficult to demean China for something we too are guilty of. Canada has little resemblance of a democratic nation as our Parliament is barely attended. Its far to dangerous for the Government to gather in it. Elections, Conferences and COP26 are virus free, its just our Parliament that seems fraught with COVID. Once the Liberal/NDP Coalition push in the draconian internet censorship bill and further the war against free speech, what can be left to call freedom. We no longer have control over what they put in our bodies as compliance is mandatory for vaccines, regardless of your situation. Canada is nothing but the mirror image of the Communist regime that our Prime Minister so admires. Values? The chosen one will have to redefine values before he can champion them.
>Hate, fear, saber rattling and confrontation are pathetic substitutes for the diplomacy, rapprochement and the civility required to secure a better future.
Obviously hate, fear, and saber-rattling aren't the answer, but you must not be very familiar with the CCP regime if you think diplomacy, rapprochement, and civility are viable strategies for dealing with that organization. (I'm speaking as someone who grew up in China.)
"Both China and Russia have said repeatedly they do not want war or empire and I take their word for it until they prove otherwise. "
I want whatever you are on. Reality is so depressing these days, I could use a new drug.
Also, I largely agree with your assessment of the US, but I must say it's quite amusing that to see that more than half of your response to my post about the CCP consists of bashing Uncle Sam. And it's certainly not the first time I've had this type of reaction from a western left-winger after I call out the CCP. Reverse American exceptionalism sure is a problem...
> [China has] said repeatedly they do not want war or empire and I take their word for it until they prove otherwise.
> Where you grew up doesn't matter as much as knowing history- it matters very much.
You would do well to take your own advice and read up on modern Chinese history and how the CCP operates. It pains me to see so many Western progressives such as yourself be so oblivious to the nature of that regime.
If I lived in Taiwan I would be contemplating getting out. Xi's crushing of Hong Kong's democracy is not a good sign.
Who are "they"? Which airline did she board?