Via the AFR today:
On Thursday, Canada said that 13 of its citizens have been detained in China since Meng’s arrest. She is accused of breaking US law, and Canada has an extradition treaty with the United States (but not China, though the Trudeau government has toyed with the idea). As punishment for following its laws, Canada must pay a “heavy price,” according to Beijing’s propaganda machine.
The decision of Canada’s leadership to forge closer relations with China always required ample self-delusion. Starry-eyed over imagined future wealth and a new great power ally to offset “dependence” on the United States, Canadians in high places have wallowed in decades of denial over the realities of the Beijing regime.
The ’90s dreams of a China on an inevitable path to economic and political liberalisation are fast fading as Canada wakes up beside a cynical dictatorship with a planned economy weaponized against the West.
And where is Australia on this? Speaking in tongues, at The Australian:
The Morrison government is stepping up efforts as part of an intensified move by Western governments to combat the increased persecution of Christians in many parts of the world.
Canberra is co-ordinating closely with other Western governments about the fate of Pakistani Christian woman Asia Bibi, whose conviction for blasphemy and subsequent death sentence were overturned by the Pakistani Supreme Court in October.
Ms Bibi is in a secret location as she awaits an appeal by an Islamist group, Tehreek-e-Labaik, against her acquittal.
Got to sure up the ground for Scummo’s mates down at the revivalist tent.
Meanwhile, we had better hope that we do not find ourselves in the same position as Canada any time soon because absolutely nobody will be coming to our aid then thanks to our silence today at China’s extraordinary bullying of a like-minded ally.
