Time to decide on Canada’s best interests

The reaction of the Global Times to the news that Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou had lost her extradition hearing anticipates the fury that can be expected to emanate from Beijing.

Canada has “completely surrendered its self- proclaimed judicial and diplomatic independence to U. S. bullying” — a decision that paves the way for “worst ever” Canada- China ties, said the Communist Party’s English language mouthpiece.

That may be the view from a country where lies are presented as truth but in Canada, justice is precious, measurable and universal. It must be defended, even when it is inconvenient to do so.

The restoration of Meng’s passport may have thawed relations with the Chinese. There are no guarantees about reciprocity because Beijing does not admit it is holding Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor hostage in retaliation for Meng’s detention — even though they were arrested just nine days after she was first held in Canada. But if Associate Chief Justice Heather Holmes had found in Meng’s favour, there would be a reasonable expectation that Kovrig and Spavor might be released, after a decent interval.

They have been held in harsh conditions — unlike Meng, who flits between two multi- million- dollar Vancouver mansions — and the prospects for their release look bleaker than ever.

All Canadians should hold them in their thoughts.

But while Justice Holmes’ decision does not help their cause, it upholds the noblest of liberal traditions — judicial independence.

The judge was not bullied by the Americans into making her decision. She administered justice without respect to political pressure.

Meng’s decision to hold a victory lap photo shoot last Saturday, not to mention stories in Chinese media ahead of the decision saying she was about to be released, show how alien that concept is in the People’s Republic.

The American authorities are seeking Meng’s extradition on fraud charges, alleging she lied to HSBC, as part of a scheme to obtain financing, thereby putting the bank at risk of violating U. S. sanctions on Iran.

Meng argued that since the sanctions are not part of Canadian law, being extra

Trudeau is on record as once saying he admires China’s ‘basic dictatorship.’

dited would run counter to the rule of law here.

However, Justice Holmes was persuaded by the U. S. Attorney- General’s argument that the essence of Meng’s alleged conduct was not violating U. S. sanctions but deceiving a bank to obtain financial services.

The decision will be appealed and it is entirely possible that it will take years to wend its way to the Supreme Court of Canada.

In the meantime, the Global Times predicts that Canada’s failure to “correct its mistake” will result in the “worst ever” relations.

In truth, the bond struck 50 years ago in October by Pierre Trudeau, when he established diplomatic relations has been all but severed.

A briefing note for the foreign affairs minister produced by senior diplomats offers an interesting window on the shifting bilateral relationship.

In 2016, the Trudeau government adopted an approach of comprehensive engagement with China, centred on deepening trade links.

There were exploratory talks on a free-trade deal and 13 ministerial visits to China, including one by the prime minister. But Meng’s detention, followed by the arrest of Kovrig and Spavor in December 2018, changed everything.

A relationship framed through the lens of economic opportunity started to take account of China’s long-term strategic challenge to Canada’s interests and values.

The relationship has deteriorated to its lowest ebb since formal ties were established in 1970, the note says.

Bilateral dialogue has broken down, exports of canola are running at around one third of pre- dispute levels and commercial interests are vulnerable to “sudden and arbitrary trade disruptions”.

Yet while Canada’s third largest trading partner has restricted this country’s exports, imports from China have continued unabated.

The Chinese have pursued reforms in global governance, security and human rights at odds with Canada’s perspective and interests. China deliberately flouts the rules- based order when it is at odds with its interests — such as the Law of the Sea in the South China Sea and human rights law in the province of Xinjiang, where over a million ethnic Uyghurs have been detained in “re-education” camps.

China has used the Asian Infrastructure and Investment Bank and its Belt and Road Initiative to gain regional influence with vulnerable countries, in what has been called “debt- trap diplomacy.” Yet, Canada is a member of the AIIB, contributing $ 256 million toward China’s national rejuvenation.

The briefing note suggests that “in normal times” China’s transition to a consumption driven economy would offer opportunities for Canadian exporters. But, it suggests these opportunities to engage must be balanced against Canada’s core values.

The reality, which must be clear to everyone sitting around the cabinet table, is that the values of a law-abiding liberal democracy and a revisionist autocracy are irreconcilable.

Trying to secure the release of the two Michaels and access to personal protective equipment during COVID-19 can only excuse this government’s plasticity so far.

Trudeau is on record as once saying he admires China’s “basic dictatorship.” I suspect that was not a slip of the tongue and that the admiration is inherent.

He and his brothers were taken to China by their father in 1990, not long after the Tiananmen Square massacre. According to the prime minister’s brother, Sacha, Pierre Trudeau talked about the “sad difficulties” China had faced and told his sons that the country is an ancient land with its own imperatives.

“Outsiders simply cannot know what is best for China or how it needs to travel down its chosen path,” Pierre said, according to John English, the elder Trudeau’s biographer.

But the current prime minister doesn’t need to know what is best for China; he just needs to appreciate what is in Canada’s national interest.

In this case, that means limiting this country’s exposure to the People’s Republic, starting with blocking Huawei’s involvement in Canada’s 5G network and withdrawing from the Asian Investment Bank.