Jason Kenney's Speech at Burton Book Launch December 1, 2025 Lord Elgin Hotel

Jason Kenney's Speech at Ottawa Book Launch December 1, 2025 Lord Elgin Hotel

He was the only academic willing to challenge the deep and subtle Canadian foreign policy consensus about China relations and always thoughtfully. He was one of the first Canadian scholars to go into China following the normalization of relations in 1970, and always with a fair mind. 

He and I encountered each other when he was assigned a contract by the Department of Foreign Affairs to produce a report specifically on the Canada-China  human rights dialogue. And I'll allow him to summarize it. But, the headline was essentially he said it was a sham and a fraud, and that it got in the way of substantive, respectful dialogue between the two sides. 

Well, the Department tried to bury his report. I was then the chairman of the Human Rights Subcommittee of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the House of Commons. And so we passed a motion as a committee to force the release of this report, and all hell broke loose, complicated by the fact that I was actually the parliamentary secretary to the Prime Minister at the time. 

And that was just the beginning of a long and interesting journey that I had with Charles for many years in government. 

I want to say that for all of those years, I tried at my best to challenge a consensus that was not operating in the interest of Canada, and I am pleased to say that that view, Charles’ view, the view of many of you in this room, has been vindicated, and it's not a happy education, but it's a vindication nevertheless. And I can tell you that the Canadian business community that was speaking with one voice 15 years ago, 10 years ago, maybe even five years ago, suggesting that the only possible Canadian policy vis-a-vis Beijing was when it was a total supplication. On all counts, that is no longer the case because virtually none of those businesses actually made earnings with their operations, most of them if they made the effort there found that their local partners  absconded with intellectual property, with copyright, with patent, with sensitive information, with profits, with capital. With no legal recourse, despite the Harper government's best efforts. All of which is to say that it's been a bitter vindication.

 But Charles, you've been a voice in the wilderness. You've been a prophet. And you more than anyone in Canada. Is responsible for the fundamental shift from cynicism towards realism in the Canada China relationship, and I just want to say, as a friend, thank you for that. Thank you.