SHARE ON: |
| |
| |
 |
 |
|
|
He’s rarely, if ever, been this forceful on a foreign file.
Somehow overnight Prime Minister Justin Trudeau decided to give up on China, endure the diplomatic deep freeze and face the inevitable economic backlash by soundly rejecting the Meng-for-Michaels proposal.
Gone were the usual ‘ums’ and ‘uhs’ he mutters while trying to remember talking points.
In the case of Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou’s possible extradition to the U.S. and the linked-in imprisonment of Michaels Spavor and Kovrig on bogus spying charges, the prime minister unleashed his position Thursday with no hesitancy in either official language.
If the proposed swap went ahead, Trudeau warned, China would be emboldened to become unscrupulous hostage-takers, seizing foreigners for trade when one of their own gets in trouble overseas.
It was an uncharacteristically firm response for a guy who always seeks kinder, gentler reactions to global tensions involving Canada.
He could’ve simply ducked behind the explanation of this mess crawling along in a court hearing process which could ultimately free Meng in any event.
But he didn’t. And he went further.
Trudeau basically ripped and ridiculed 19 prominent Canadians advocating capitulation, flipping the bird at heavyweights from the Chretien, Martin, Harper and Mulroney governments for a proposal that would put Canadian travellers of the future in danger of being kidnapped.
It’s not clear what motivated so many big names to decide now, 18 months after the standoff began, was the right time to advocate for a hostage swap as a means to improve the China connection.
Their argument that the current justice minister or the prime minster has the power to stop the legal extradition process and simply send Meng packing for home aboard a private Huawei jet wasn’t exactly a revelation.
And they must be aware our more important U.S. relationship would be hurt by simply ditching an extradition request our courts have so far decided is legitimate and should proceed.
But, as of today, Trudeau has wisely decreed this will never happen – and it’s hard to dispute the logic behind his decision.
When China made it clear they’re game for a hostage swap, that put to rest any pretence the charges filed against Spavor and Kovrig were somehow disconnected to the Meng extradition process.
And if it this works once, why would anyone believe it wouldn’t be repeated every time a Chinese national of Communist Party value is apprehended in another country?
Today’s developments will have the Conservative opposition gasping. They’ve advocated for a tough-on-China approach generally and for Trudeau to act against China for detaining the Canadians specifically. Now they’ve got what they demanded. Gulp.
There’s going to be a hefty price to pay for this, of course.
Lumber, lobsters, just about anything heading for export to China is bound to face closer scrutiny, paperwork slowdowns and perhaps outright obstruction to avenge Trudeau’s position. New markets will need to be established to fill the trading void.
This also appears to be the kiss of death to Huawei’s plan to help develop the 5G telecommunications network in Canada, which will make bad things worse.
The Canada-China relationship is clearly in meltdown mode and there’s no stopping the damage from going radioactive now.
|
|
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
7 pm |
| 22 ℃ |
| OVERCAST CLOUDS |
WIND: ESE 6 KM/H
GUSTING TO 14 KM/H |
|
|
|
8 pm |
| 21 ℃ |
| OVERCAST CLOUDS |
WIND: S 13 KM/H
GUSTING TO 17 KM/H |
|
|
 |
9 pm |
| 20 ℃ |
| OVERCAST CLOUDS |
WIND: S 11 KM/H
GUSTING TO 14 KM/H |
|
|
 |
10 pm |
| 18 ℃ |
| LIGHT RAIN |
WIND: E 2 KM/H
GUSTING TO 3 KM/H |
|
|
|
11 pm |
| 16 ℃ |
| MODERATE RAIN |
WIND: E 14 KM/H
GUSTING TO 33 KM/H |
|
|
|
12 am |
| 14 ℃ |
| LIGHT RAIN |
WIND: E 16 KM/H
GUSTING TO 33 KM/H |
|
|
|
1 am |
| 15 ℃ |
| OVERCAST CLOUDS |
WIND: E 15 KM/H
GUSTING TO 35 KM/H |
|
|
|
2 am |
| 14 ℃ |
| LIGHT RAIN |
WIND: E 15 KM/H
GUSTING TO 35 KM/H |
|
|
|
 |
TODAY |
HIGH OF 22 ℃
LOW OF 11 ℃ |
| MODERATE RAIN |
|
|
|
FRIDAY |
HIGH OF 16 ℃
LOW OF 12 ℃ |
| MODERATE RAIN |
|
|
 |
SATURDAY |
HIGH OF 25 ℃
LOW OF 10 ℃ |
| CLEAR SKY |
|
|
|
SUNDAY |
HIGH OF 29 ℃
LOW OF 14 ℃ |
| LIGHT RAIN |
|
|
|
MONDAY |
HIGH OF 28 ℃
LOW OF 17 ℃ |
| LIGHT RAIN |
|
|
|
TUESDAY |
HIGH OF 22 ℃
LOW OF 14 ℃ |
| LIGHT RAIN |
|
|
 |
WEDNESDAY |
HIGH OF 29 ℃
LOW OF 12 ℃ |
| FEW CLOUDS |
|
|
|
THURSDAY |
HIGH OF 21 ℃
LOW OF 16 ℃ |
| MODERATE RAIN |
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
 |
JASON ALDEAN
KNEW YOUD COME AROUND
07:13 PM |
|
 |
JON WOLFE
GOOD WOMAN
07:10 PM |
|
 |
THE REKLAWS
SO CRAZY IT JUST MIGHT WORK
07:07 PM |
|
 |
GEORGE STRAIT
THREE DRINKS BEHIND
07:03 PM |
|
 |
JORDAN DAVIS
I AINT SAYIN
07:00 PM |
|
 |
TREY LEWIS
THATS MY AMERICA
06:57 PM |
|
 |
BILLY CURRINGTON
HEY GIRL
06:53 PM |
|
 |
TIM MCGRAW
SMALL TOWN KING
06:49 PM |
|
 |
MITCHELL TENPENNY
SMOKE
06:46 PM |
|
 |
SAMMI PALINKAS
THE OTHER WOMAN
06:39 PM |
|
 
|
