Canada must re-engage on diplomacy with China, but also learn lessons, experts say
While the saga regarding the detainment of Canadians Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor by Chinese authorities may be at an end, the political fallout between the two countries as a result of it remains unclear.
The two returned to Canada early Saturday morning after spending over 1,000 days in Chinese custody on espionage charges that were largely viewed as a retaliatory response to Canada's arrest of Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou on a U.S. warrant related to the company's business dealings in Iran.
While China has consistently denied that the cases were in any way connected, earlier on Friday, a B.C. judge discharged the extradition matter against Meng after U.S. Justice Department officials reached a deal to resolve the criminal charges against her, allowing Meng to enter into a deferred prosecution agreement and leave Canada, under certain terms.
Meng's arrest at Vancouver International Airport in December 2018 spurred a years-long major geopolitical case, with economic sanctions being traded between Canada and China as the relationship between both nations entered a deep freeze.
However, now that Kovrig and Spavor have been set free and Meng has returned to China, experts suggest that the relationship between the two countries may begin to thaw.
DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS
Jeremy Kinsman, former Canadian ambassador to Russia and the U.K., suggested that the release of the two Michaels and Meng's deferred prosecution agreement was a way for both countries to appear to come out as winners.
"The devil is really in appearances and making sure that appearances don't favour one side rather than the other. That both come out, if not as total winners, that neither comes out as a total loser," Kinsman told CTV News Channel on Saturday. "I think that's the principal thing. I think that's what was achieved here."
He added that it was also a matter of saving face for China.
"You can't feel comfortable if the opinion of you as a country, and indeed by extension as a people, is declining," Kinsman said. "There's only so much you can do to convince your people that you're right and they're victims of other people's prejudice."
Colin Robertson, a former Canadian diplomat, called the release of the two Michaels a triumph in diplomacy, but said Canada needs to do more to end the practice of nations arresting foreign citizens for political gain.
"We put together a big diplomatic effort of those in the free world to basically say, no, this is wrong, you've gone too far," Robertson said in an interview with CTV News Channel on Saturday. "This cannot happen again. To me, the lesson of this is that we've got to add teeth to another Canadian [declaration] on arbitrary detentions that we unveiled last February."
Canada launched the Declaration Against Arbitrary Detention in State-to-State Relations in February. It has since been endorsed by over 60 countries across the globe.
"I think that we need something to persuade countries that want to practice hostage diplomacy," he said. "China is probably the worst example, but there are others who do the same thing."
Scott McKnight, a postdoctoral fellow of the Munk School of Global Affairs at the University of Toronto, said this ordeal should be a wake-up call for what Canada can expect from China in the future.
"I think we should be very cautious in our assessment going forward that this may be the type of China that we're going to have to deal with going forward as China only becomes increasingly relevant and economically powerful in the world," McKnight told CTV News Channel on Friday, after Meng had reached a deferred prosecution agreement with the U.S., but before news broke of the two Michaels being released.
"We should also recognize here the bigger, maybe broader lesson, which is a more assertive China; a China that's not afraid to use various instruments, some nice some not so nice, in trying to achieve its policy aims," he said. "This should be a sobering moment for Canadian expectations of the People's Republic of China."
TRADE RELATIONS
China, which is Canada's second-largest trading partner, issued a number of sanctions on Canadian exports since Meng's 2018 arrest. Regardless of any tensions that may remain over the case, Robertson said China is too large to ignore, and trade must resume.
"You never forget it, but you put it behind you and you go forward," he said. "We've got to have a relationship with China. We've got a lot of citizens of Chinese descent in this country. We will continue to bring in migrants from China. So we've got to re-engage now with China."
Legal analyst Dina Doll pointed out on Saturday that Huawei still faces a 16-count indictment in the Eastern District of New York, however, she said it will likely be a strictly corporate case that doesn't involve individual citizens being detained.
"Diplomacy and trade has been really fractured against the United States and China in the last few years, and unfortunately Canada as well," Doll said. "If Huawei's indictment does go forward and there is a conviction -- they're maybe the crown jewel company of China -- how would China react to that? It's very unclear, and so it will be interesting to see how that plays out."
IN DEPTH
Budget 2024 prioritizes housing while taxing highest earners, deficit projected at $39.8B
In an effort to level the playing field for young people, in the 2024 federal budget, the government is targeting Canada's highest earners with new taxes in order to help offset billions in new spending to enhance the country's housing supply and social supports.
'One of the greatest': Former prime minister Brian Mulroney commemorated at state funeral
Prominent Canadians, political leaders, and family members remembered former prime minister and Progressive Conservative titan Brian Mulroney as an ambitious and compassionate nation-builder at his state funeral on Saturday.
'Democracy requires constant vigilance' Trudeau testifies at inquiry into foreign election interference in Canada
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau testified Wednesday before the national public inquiry into foreign interference in Canada's electoral processes, following a day of testimony from top cabinet ministers about allegations of meddling in the 2019 and 2021 federal elections. Recap all the prime minister had to say.
As Poilievre sides with Smith on trans restrictions, former Conservative candidate says he's 'playing with fire'
Siding with Alberta Premier Danielle Smith on her proposed restrictions on transgender youth, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre confirmed Wednesday that he is against trans and non-binary minors using puberty blockers.
Supports for passengers, farmers, artists: 7 bills from MPs and Senators to watch in 2024
When parliamentarians return to Ottawa in a few weeks to kick off the 2024 sitting, there are a few bills from MPs and senators that will be worth keeping an eye on, from a 'gutted' proposal to offer a carbon tax break to farmers, to an initiative aimed at improving Canada's DNA data bank.
Opinion
opinion Don Martin: Gusher of Liberal spending won't put out the fire in this dumpster
A Hail Mary rehash of the greatest hits from the Trudeau government’s three-week travelling pony-show, the 2024 federal budget takes aim at reversing the party’s popularity plunge in the under-40 set, writes political columnist Don Martin. But will it work before the next election?
opinion Don Martin: The doctor Trudeau dumped has a prescription for better health care
Political columnist Don Martin sat down with former federal health minister Jane Philpott, who's on a crusade to help fix Canada's broken health care system, and who declined to take any shots at the prime minister who dumped her from caucus.
opinion Don Martin: Trudeau's seeking shelter from the housing storm he helped create
While Justin Trudeau's recent housing announcements are generally drawing praise from experts, political columnist Don Martin argues there shouldn’t be any standing ovations for a prime minister who helped caused the problem in the first place.
opinion Don Martin: Poilievre has the field to himself as he races across the country to big crowds
It came to pass on Thursday evening that the confidentially predictable failure of the Official Opposition non-confidence motion went down with 204 Liberal, BQ and NDP nays to 116 Conservative yeas. But forcing Canada into a federal election campaign was never the point.
opinion Don Martin: How a beer break may have doomed the carbon tax hike
When the Liberal government chopped a planned beer excise tax hike to two per cent from 4.5 per cent and froze future increases until after the next election, says political columnist Don Martin, it almost guaranteed a similar carbon tax move in the offing.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'He's in our hearts': Family and friends still seek answers one year after Nathan Wise’s disappearance
It’s been a year since Nathan Wise went missing and his family is no closer to finding out what happened to him.
'My family doctor just fired me': Ontario patients frustrated with de-rostering
Dozens of Ontarians are expressing frustration in the province’s health-care system after their family doctors either dropped them as patients or threatened to after they sought urgent care elsewhere.
Ottawa pizzeria places among top 20 deep-dish pizzas in the world at international competition
An Ottawa pizzeria is being recognized as one of the top 20 deep-dish pizzas in the world.
Canada Post cracks down on Nunavut loophole to get free Amazon Prime shipping
Amazon's paid subscription service provides free delivery for online shopping across Canada except for remote locations, the company said in an email. While customers in Iqaluit qualify for the offer, all other communities in Nunavut are excluded.
Wildfire near Fort McMurray more than triples overnight, several evacuation alerts remain in place
The fire burning near Fort McMurray grew from 25 hectares to 5,500 hectares over the weekend.
Putin replaces Russian defence minister in rare cabinet shakeup
Russia’s President Vladimir Putin began a Cabinet shakeup on Sunday, proposing the replacement of Sergei Shoigu as defence minister as he begins his fifth term in office.
Man fatally 'slashed in the neck' in downtown Toronto, suspect outstanding
Police are searching for a male suspect after a man was “slashed in neck” on Sunday morning in downtown Toronto and died.
WATCH Dashcam video shows terrifying near-miss on two-lane northern Ontario highway
There were some scary moments for several people on a northern Ontario highway caught on video Thursday after a chain reaction following a truck fire.
Edibles, armchairs and adapters: Here are the recalls for this week
Health Canada announced various product recalls this week, including electric adapters, armchairs, cannabis edibles and vehicle components.
Local Spotlight
Want to boost your trivia score? Learn from these high school trivia whiz kids
English, history, entertainment, math and geography: high school trivia teams could be quizzed on any of it when they compete at the Reach for the Top Nationals in Ottawa in June.
Ottawa pizzeria places among top 20 deep-dish pizzas in the world at international competition
An Ottawa pizzeria is being recognized as one of the top 20 deep-dish pizzas in the world.
From outer space? Sask. farmers baffled after discovering strange wreckage in field
A family of fifth generation farmers from Ituna, Sask. are trying to find answers after discovering several strange objects lying on their land.
Wilfrid Laurier football player drafted despite only playing 27 games in his entire life
A Listowel, Ont. man, drafted by the Hamilton Tigercats last week, is also getting looks from the NFL, despite only playing 27 games of football in his life.
Federal government bans watercraft from Manitoba lake popular with tourists
The threat of zebra mussels has prompted the federal government to temporarily ban watercraft from a Manitoba lake popular with tourists.
Toronto-area dessert shop featured by Keith Lee forced to move after zoning complaint
A small Ajax dessert shop that recently received a glowing review from celebrity food critic Keith Lee is being forced to move after a zoning complaint was made following the social media influencer’s visit last month.
'Oh Crap!' New exhibit at Canada Science and Technology Museum explores human waste
The Canada Science and Technology Museum is inviting visitors to explore their poop. A new exhibition opens at the Ottawa museum on Friday called, 'Oh Crap! Rethinking human waste.'
Regina police hope new biometric monitoring system will save lives in detention facility
The Regina Police Service says it is the first in Saskatchewan and possibly Canada to implement new technology in its detention facility that will offer real-time monitoring of detainees’ vital health metrics.
Her SUV was stolen in Montreal. A Good Samaritan on Facebook helped her get it back
Just as she had feared, a restaurant owner from eastern Quebec who visited Montreal had her SUV stolen, but says it was all thanks to the kindness of strangers on the internet — not the police — that she got it back.