Wednesday, June 17, 2015

The murky world of Chinese influence - My Op-Ed in The Globe and Mail

The murky world of Chinese influence - The Globe and Mail

Canadian officials and politicians who favour closer economic relations with China – playing down concerns about human rights, espionage, unfair trade practices, support for repressive Third World regimes and so on – have generally not been of Chinese origin. It’s troubling that many of these same people, after they leave politics, end up making serious money in China-related trade or lucrative China-related board of directors’ appointments. This most recently applies to Mr. Baird himself and very much so to his predecessor David Emerson, but also to former prime ministers, former Canadian ambassadors to China and many others, of all political stripes. Chinese money is seemingly welcomed almost everywhere in Canada, but it inevitably comes with strings attached: expectations of reciprocal “friendship” that lead back to the Chinese Communists and their ever-more influential global business conglomerates headquartered in Beijing.

It appeared in the Globe and Mail print edition on June 18, 2015

Much the same content in a video interview broadcast on TheRebel.media: http://www.therebel.media/_it_s_not_just_about_michael_chan_expert

Monday, June 15, 2015

House of Commons Committees - FAAE (41-2) - Hong Kong's Democratic Future - Report Recommendations

House of Commons Committees - FAAE (41-2) - Hong Kong's Democratic Future - Report

Recommendation 1: The Committee recommends that the Government of Canada state its support for the democratic aspirations of Hong Kong people, including the need for genuine universal suffrage in the election of their political leaders.


Recommendation 2: The Committee recommends that the Government of Canada reiterate its support for the 'one country, two systems' principle, and for the 1984 Joint Declaration of the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Government of the People's Republic of China on the Question of Hong Kong.


Recommendation 3: The Committee recommends that the Government of Canada encourage dialogue that can lead to governance reforms in Hong Kong that are broadly accepted by all concerned.