'It's going to get worse': Former ambassador predicts more strain in Canada-China relationship

TREND LINE: Interview with Paul Heinbecker Trend Line's Rachel Aiello and Nik Nanos break down the Conservative policy convention and speak with former ambassador Paul Heinbecker.

TORONTO — The relationship between Canada and China continues to deteriorate following the trials of Michael Spavor and Michael Kovrig, which were conducted under a shroud of secrecy in Beijing last week.

Now Paul Heinbecker, a former Canadian ambassador to Germany and representative to the United Nations, says things could get worse for Canada-China relations.

"We are being introduced in a very rough way to a new world where the rules of the road are decided by the strongest," said Heinbecker on the latest episode of Trend Line. "We've always said in Canada that we needed a foreign policy that built on the international rules and regulations… but China is starting to play rogue."

Foreign Affairs Minister Marc Garneau condemned China earlier in the week on CTV News Channel's Power Play, saying "it's very important for China to get the message… when you have a disagreement with another country, you don't arrest their citizens on trumped-up charges."

But as outrage grows in Canada, Heinbecker warns that the Canadian government is cautious about "dictating" to China and needs to "be ready for the consequences" if the Chinese government retaliates.

"They can survive that kind of a contest… with a lot less pain than we can."

Despite the risk of reprisals from Beijing, Nanos Research's Nik Nanos says polling suggests Canadians support the federal government taking a tougher stance against China.

"Canadians are open to trying to advocate for relocating the Olympics out of China… Canadians are more likely to want economic sanctions in conjunction with the United States."

Nanos also says there was a "significant margin" of support among Canadians for the motion declaring a genocide against Uyghurs in China.

According to Heinbecker, the path to bringing Spavor and Kovrig home will rely on support from the Biden administration.

"We have to work with other people. We don't have any choice."

The United States has shown a willingness to speak out on behalf of Canada, with both U.S. President Joe Biden and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken calling for Spavor and Kovrig to be released.

However, former ambassador to the U.S. Michael Kergin told Trend Line in January that he doesn't expect Biden to interfere in the legal proceedings against Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou and the U.S. president will “let this thing play out.”

Listen to the full episode of Trend Line with CTVNews.ca's Rachel Aiello and Nanos Research's Nik Nanos wherever you get your podcasts or by clicking on the video at the top of this article.