Let China sleep, for when she awakes, she will shake the world. – Napoleon Bonaparte, 1769-1821
How will Canada deal with the China challenge to our national sovereignty?
It may be the most important question facing the country, with far more dire consequences than the election of a separatist provincial government in Quebec.
Is Canada sleepwalking towards a future day when a communist-ruled undemocratic China has significant control of key parts of our economy? The evidence is mounting.
This month we learned the ruling BC Liberal and federal Conservative governments are jointly allowing up to 2,000 miners from China to operate as many as four planned coal mines, despite that country having the deadliest coal industry in the world.
Perhaps the biggest threat is Harper’s plan to implement the Canada-China Foreign Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement (FIPA) by Nov. 1.
Then there’s the proposed $15 billion purchase of Calgary-based oil and gas giant Nexen Inc by the state-owned China National Offshore Oil Corporation — a deal the federal government must approve before it can proceed.
There are also questions about Chinese telecom giant Huawei Technologies’ role in Canada.
A US Congressional committee alleged on October 9 that Huawei was “already known to be a major perpetrator of cyber espionage.” The Shenzhen-based company “unequivocally denies” that.
The next day Andrew MacDougall, Conservative Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s communications director, commented about the possibility that Huawei might bid on rebuilding Ottawa’s telecom network: “The government's going to be choosing carefully in the construction of this network, and it has invoked the national security exception for the building of this network.”
“I’m not going to comment on any one company in particular. I’ll leave it to you if you think Huawei should be a part of a Canadian government security system,” MacDougall said.
But perhaps the biggest threat is Harper’s plan to implement the Canada-China Foreign Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement (FIPA) by November 1.
Gus Van Harten, an Osgoode Hall law professor and global authority on international trade deals, says he is “deeply concerned about the implications for Canada” and urges the government to reconsider.
The legal consequences of the treaty will be irreversible by any Canadian court, legislature or other decision maker for 31 years after the treaty is given effect.
“The legal consequences of the treaty will be irreversible by any Canadian court, legislature or other decision maker for 31 years after the treaty is given effect,” Van Harten wrote to Harper, adding that it has a 15-year-minimum term.
Napoleon Bonaparte eventually met his Waterloo — is the Canada-China deal our fatal losing battle on national sovereignty?
About Bill Tieleman
Bill Tieleman, president of West Star Communications, is one of BC's best known political commentators and communicators. Read political commentary from Bill every Tuesday in 24 hours, Vancouver's free weekday newspaper (also online) and in The Tyee — BC's award-winning online magazine.
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