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.
|
|
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
12 pm |
| 18 ℃ |
| MODERATE RAIN |
WIND: SSE 12 KM/H
GUSTING TO 22 KM/H |
|
|
 |
1 pm |
| 17 ℃ |
| BROKEN CLOUDS |
WIND: S 15 KM/H
GUSTING TO 21 KM/H |
|
|
|
2 pm |
| 18 ℃ |
| BROKEN CLOUDS |
WIND: SE 6 KM/H
GUSTING TO 15 KM/H |
|
|
|
3 pm |
| 17 ℃ |
| HEAVY INTENSITY RAIN |
WIND: W 32 KM/H
GUSTING TO 39 KM/H |
|
|
|
4 pm |
| 17 ℃ |
| HEAVY INTENSITY RAIN |
WIND: NNW 21 KM/H
GUSTING TO 31 KM/H |
|
|
|
5 pm |
| 16 ℃ |
| VERY HEAVY RAIN |
WIND: W 5 KM/H
GUSTING TO 9 KM/H |
|
|
|
6 pm |
| 14 ℃ |
| HEAVY INTENSITY RAIN |
WIND: NW 28 KM/H
GUSTING TO 45 KM/H |
|
|
|
7 pm |
| 13 ℃ |
| LIGHT RAIN |
WIND: N 29 KM/H
GUSTING TO 48 KM/H |
|
|
|
|
TODAY |
HIGH OF 19 ℃
LOW OF 13 ℃ |
| VERY HEAVY RAIN |
|
|
|
MONDAY |
HIGH OF 15 ℃
LOW OF 9 ℃ |
| MODERATE RAIN |
|
|
 |
TUESDAY |
HIGH OF 24 ℃
LOW OF 10 ℃ |
| CLEAR SKY |
|
|
 |
WEDNESDAY |
HIGH OF 29 ℃
LOW OF 16 ℃ |
| SCATTERED CLOUDS |
|
|
|
THURSDAY |
HIGH OF 22 ℃
LOW OF 18 ℃ |
| MODERATE RAIN |
|
|
|
FRIDAY |
HIGH OF 28 ℃
LOW OF 16 ℃ |
| CLEAR SKY |
|
|
|
SATURDAY |
HIGH OF 30 ℃
LOW OF 18 ℃ |
| OVERCAST CLOUDS |
|
|
 |
SUNDAY |
HIGH OF 33 ℃
LOW OF 19 ℃ |
| FEW CLOUDS |
|
|
|
|
|
 |
 |
|
| The Curiosity Box Back to School – Learn & Explore! |
| |
| Make learning exciting this school year with The Curiosity Box! Discover fun STEM activities, experiments, and surprises that spark curiosity. |
| |
| Back to School savings won’t last—shop The Curiosity Box today! |
|
 |
|
 |
|
|
 |
 |
MITCHELL TENPENNY
WELL WHISKEY
12:42 PM |
|
 |
MACARTNEY REINHARDT
NEW BEGINNING
12:38 PM |
|
 |
LISA BROKOP
WILDFLOWER
12:34 PM |
|
 |
RILEY GREEN
WAY OUT HERE
12:30 PM |
|
 |
LILY ROSE
END LIKE THIS
12:28 PM |
|
 |
JESSIE JAMES DECKER
THE GIRLS IN MY HOMETOWN
12:24 PM |
|
 |
SCOTTY MCCREERY
PORCH
12:21 PM |
|
 |
KIP MOORE
AROUND YOU
12:17 PM |
|
 |
BROTHERS OSBORNE
AINT NOBODY GOT TIME FOR THAT
12:12 PM |
|
 |
SISTER HAZEL
THAT KIND OF BEAUTIFUL
12:08 PM |
|
 
 |
