Canada Tibet Committee denounces Chinese government’s delisting of University of Calgary

News Release
For Immediate Release Canada Tibet Committee denounces Chinese government’s delisting of University of Calgary
(Montreal, Thursday, 4 February 2010) – The Canada Tibet Committee (CTC) is denouncing the Chinese government’s decision to remove the University of Calgary from its list of accredited institutions, ostensibly because the university hosted His Holiness the Dalai Lama in Calgary last September and awarded him an honourary degree.
“Unfortunately, the Chinese government chooses to bully rather than reason in order to resolve differences. Canadian universities are respected worldwide for embracing free and open debate where opinions are expressed without fear of reprisal,” said CTC executive director Dermod Travis. “That a foreign power should be so out of touch as to believe that they can intimidate a Canadian university through such tactics would be even more astonishing if it were not the Chinese government doing the intimidating.”
The Chinese government’s decision to delist the University of Calgary falls on the heels of their criticism this week of the Obama administration for its decision to sell defensive helicopters to Taiwan and the President Obama’s plans to meet with the Dalai Lama later this month.
“Western governments must realize that if we don’t change China through constructive and substantive engagement, China will change us. The decision to delist the University of Calgary is only the latest illustration of the authoritarian measures that the Chinese government will attempt to export to western democracies unless we make it abundantly clear that we will not be bullied by authoritarian regimes in our own countries.”
The Canada Tibet Committee is an independent non-governmental organisation of Tibetans and non-Tibetans living in Canada, who are concerned about the continuing human rights violations and lack of democratic freedom in Tibet.
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For more information:
Dermod Travis
Executive Director
514.281.1907 / dermod@tibet.ca


Comment:  If China's accreditation of universities process is based not actually on the academic value of the degrees they confer, but rather on political criteria, is it possible that the Chinese Government has accredited substandard universities because those institutions promise not to allow the Dalai Lama on campus?

Response to a Chinese Ph.D. Student's Query on Canada-China Relations

Question: What's your interpretation of the two "change"s in Stephen Harper China policy that were witnessed in his first and second governments respectively?

My answer: I think that most of the changes in policy in Canada-China relations have come from the Chinese side.  For example granting Approved Destination Status after turning down Chretien and Martin on this over many years.  Canada made no changes to its Refugee Policy nor to the independence of the Judiciary that keeps Mr. Lai Changxing away from Chinese justice in Vancouver.  There have also been concessions on the Chinese side on a wide range of other issues, although not on the Celil case yet.  My interpretation is that the Chinese Government realizing that the Harper Government would be in power for some years recognized that yearning for return of the weak past Liberal approach was counter-productive to Chinese interests in Canada.  For example the Chinese Government now respects that Canada will not engage in fruitless dialogue on human rights and no longer makes the pretence that this or shunning of the Dalai Lama is conditional for "good relations."  The demeaining rhetoric about "friendship" is less applied.  The key is effective maximization of each other's national interests.  For China this is access to Canadian natural resources and the Canadian market for Chinese goods.  In Canada's case it  is promotion of our prosperity through attracting talented Chinese immigrants to Canada and access to the Chinese market as well as effectively standing for democracy and rule of law in China and seeking to support people in China denied their fundamental entitlement to human rights.

Statement by Minister of Foreign Affairs that Government Will Act on "Rights and Democracy" Controversy

Lawrence Cannon on R&D controversy: "I do not intervene in the discussions that are held at the Board level.  Mine is to make sure that this organization is smooth running and that it functions correctly."
http://www.cbc.ca/video/#/News/TV_Shows/The_National/ID=1404185114 

"Obviously, there seems to be a governance structure problem here, and so I'll be looking at that," Cannon said.
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2010/02/03/rights-democracy-dissent.html

"I can tell you that I intend to have a discussion in the very near future with the chairman of Rights and Democracy in order to get his view and his perspective of things," Cannon said Wednesday.
http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/article/760353--rights-group-troubled-cannon-says

 January 6: Foreign Minister Lawrence Cannon met with Mr. Braun yesterday and said they both want a "constructive future" for Rights and Democracy.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/a-rights-agencys-future-in-peril/article1458589/


Comment:  I think that Mr. Cannon's characterization of the essence of this matter as a "governance structure problem" can lead to a productive resolution once this "governance structure problem" is effectively addressed.  I feel cautiously optimistic that the Board and management of R&D can find a way to work together in harmony again.  There has to be openness, trust and good will on both sides.  There will always be differences of opinion as to priorities and approaches, but at the end of the day R&D has an important mandate to fulfill for Canada and on the nature of that mandate there is in fact a high degree of consensus.

Chair of Rights and Democracy Challenged on CTV "Power Point"

Tom Clark, host of "Power Point" quotes anonymous Government source as characterizing "Rights and Democracy"  as a "playground for the left."

http://watch.ctv.ca/news/power-play/feb-1/

Statements of Central Party School on Death of Rémy Beauregard

1. Nous sommes consternés et éprouvons une douleur profonde après avoir appris la terrible nouvelle du décès le 8 janvier 2010 de notre vieil ami, monsieur Rémy Beauregard, président de Droits et Démocratie. Veuillez accepter nos sincères condoléances et toute notre sympathie à l 'occasion de son départ subit.
   Durant sa présidence, M. Beauregard a constamment attaché une grande importance aux échanges et à la coopération entre l 'École du comité central du Parti communiste chinois et Droits et Démocratie et c 'est sous son impulsion que notre projet a pu connaître des succès considérables. Notre école a tiré grand profit de sa connaissance intime des droits de la personne et de ses réflexions perspicaces, qui nous inspirent une grande admiration. L 'an dernier, M. Li Liandong, directeur du Département de science politique et de droit, dirigeait une mission de notre école au Canada, durant laquelle il fut reçu chez les Beauregard; il y a ressenti personnellement la chaleur de l 'accueil du couple et leur profonde amitié pour le peuple chinois. En novembre dernier, M. Beauregard dirigeait à son tour une mission de Droits et Démocratie en Chine et visitait notre École.
   Sa présence, sa voix et son sourire sont encore bien vivants parmi tous les collègues ici à l 'École!
   Nous vous prions de transmettre toute notre sympathie à son épouse Suzanne et aux membres de sa famille. Nous espérons qu 'ils pourront contenir leur douleur et prendre bien soin d 'eux-mêmes!  Fidèles à la volonté posthume de M. Beauregard, poursuivons sans relâche, côte à côte, les échanges et la coopération entre l 'École du Comité central du Parti communiste chinois et Droits et Démocratie!
   
   Le Bureau des Affaires étrangères de l 'École du Comité central du Parti
   communiste chinois

    
2. Nous sommes consternés et profondément attristés par le décès de votre président, Monsieur Rémy Beauregard. Au nom du Centre des droits de la personne de l 'École du Comité central du Parti communiste de Chine, nous exprimons nos plus sincères condoléances et toute notre sympathie à Droits et Démocratie ainsi qu 'à la famille du disparu!
   Monsieur Rémy Beauregard a consacré d 'énormes efforts à la promotion de la coopération académique entre le Centre international des droits de la personne et du développement démocratique et le Centre des droits de la personne de l 'École du Comité central du Parti communiste chinois. Il a fait une contribution exceptionnelle à l 'amitié entre les peuples chinois et canadien.
   Nous chérirons à jamais la mémoire de M. Rémi Beauregard.
   
   Zhang Xiaoling, directrice, Centre des droits de la personne,
   École du Comité central du Parti communiste de Chine

Finally Some Good News on Rights and Democracy Board of Directors Allegations

Looks like DFAIT will address the deteriorating situation at Rights and Democracy: Le ministre des Affaires étrangères, Lawrence Cannon, a demandé à son sous-ministre adjoint, Gérald Cossette, d'éclaircir la situation à Droits et Démocratie. Il mènera une vérification et fera un rapport au ministre. C'est la première indication que le gouvernement Harper se préoccupe de la crise qui secoue l'organisme fédéral depuis le 8 janvier dernier.
http://www.ledevoir.com/politique/canada/281964/affrontement-ideologique-ottawa-depeche-un-sous-ministre-a-droits-et-democratie

February 2:  Lawrence Cannon is quoted in the Toronto Star today as indicating that "This is an internal matter at an arm's length agency, and I trust that it will be resolved as soon as possible. There is no investigation into this matter"
http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/article/759030--rights-agency-probe-urged

My Preliminary Views on Axworthy Advisory Panel Report on the Canadian Democracy Promotion Agency

Agency ("The Canadian Centre for Advancing Democracy") would have a specific focus on sustainable party development

The 2008 Speech from the Throne made the promise that, "a new non-partisan democracy promotion agency will be established to support the peaceful transition to democracy in repressive countries and help emerging democracies build strong institutions"

The 2007 report of the House of Commons Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development (SCFAID), Advancing Canada’s Role in International Support for Democratic Development, recommendation 15:
"The Parliament of Canada, following consultations with all parties represented in the House of Commons, should consider setting up a centre for multi-party and parliamentary democracy, with a parliamentary mandate."

Relevant Points:
p. 9 "For historic reasons, the Centre should view countries of the Francophonie and Commonwealth, as well the Americas, as priority areas for the Centre to invest in."
p 10 "Rosters of Canadian party activists, able and willing to work overseas should be assembled by the new Centre."
p. 14 "An appropriate mission for the CCAD [Canadian Centre for Advancing Democracy] would be to support the process of democratization by helping to establish or to strengthen pluralistic democratic institutions, particularly political parties, in countries where they are absent or in need of further encouragement and development.  .  . to assist political actors in repressive regimes to participate in the transition to a democratic system."

My initial observation:  I do not see how this Advisory Panel report conceives of what the CCAD would actually do. It is unclear to me how its activities would be distinct from work of The Parliamentary Centre, Rights and Democracy, and CIDA.  I am concerned that it could turn into something of a boondoggle for out of work Party activists and retired Parliamentarians.

Privy Council Governor in Council Appointment seeking candidate for Rights and Democracy President

International Centre for Human Rights and Democratic Development
(President)

The International Centre for Human Rights and Democratic Development is a Canadian institution with an international mandate to promote, advocate and defend the democratic and human rights set out in the International Bill of Human Rights. In co-operation with civil society and governments in Canada and abroad, the Centre initiates and supports programs to strengthen laws and democratic institutions in developing countries. Although its mandate is global, the Centre focuses its work in a number of core countries.

Click here to view the notice of vacancy.

Retired Senior Chinese Communist Officials on Liu Xiaobo

Four retired Communist Party officials have signed an open letter to China's government calling for a review of the case of jailed dissident Liu Xiaobo.  They are: Hu Jiwei, former editor of the Party newspaper the People's Daily, He Fang, who is an honorary member of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, Li Pu, a former deputy chief of the official Xinhua News Agency, and Dai Huang, a former Xinhua senior reporter.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20100125/wl_asia_afp/chinarightsdissident