"Strengthening ties with China will not prevent the Canadian government from promoting respect for human rights."

According to a December 25 AFP report  entitled "Canada 'deplores' sentencing of Chinese dissident" about the DFAIT statement on Liu Xiaobo:
 "Canada's conservative government has sought in recent months to develop stronger economic ties with China, and Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper visited Beijing in early December. But Ottawa has also stressed that strengthening ties with China will not prevent the Canadian government from promoting respect for human rights."

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20091226/wl_canada_afp/chinarightsdissidenttrialcanada