Categories: Andrew Coyne, Capital Read

Thank you, sir, may I have another?

by Andrew Coyne on Thursday, December 3, 2009 1:44pm - 241 Comments

UN-BE-LIEVABLE. The Chinese publicly humiliate the Prime Minister of Canada, and the opposition rushes to … blame the Prime Minister.

“Mr. Harper’s provocative refusal to engage with China for four years comes with a price, which Canada is paying for, and which this incident reflects,” Mr. Rae told The Globe and Mail in an email this morning. He said the Chinese Premier’s comment “is indeed unprecedented and deliberate, but then so was Harper’s truly ignorant behaviour…”

Mr. Layton, meanwhile, told The Globe this morning that the “public rebuke shows that there’s work to do on Canada’s part.”

And much more in the same vein. It is just sick-making. Is there no indignity this country will not swallow? Is there no bottom to our cravenness, our endless capacity to rationalize, explain away and blame ourselves? If the Chinese had done this to any other world leader — to the President of France, say — do you think their opposition parties would be taking the side of the regime? Do you think their president would stay in China another day?

MOREOVER: The emperors of ancient Rome used to parade the kings of defeated tribes through the streets as a ritual humliation. That’s more or less what’s going on here. The purpose of Harpers’s visit was expressly one of capitulation to Chinese power and money, and the Chinese leadership were simply forcing us to acknowledge it. They treated the Prime Minister of Canada, in public, as if he were a schoolboy late for class. And, by extension, they were treating Canada the same. Because they know we’ll just sit there and take it.

So his humiliation is ours — and apparently we’re just fine with that. Harper’s belated willingness to put aside human rights concerns and suck up to the regime was not just applauded, but demanded, by virtually the entire Canadian political, business and journalistic establishment — a remarkable confluence of the left’s traditional blindess to the abuses of Communist dictatorships and the business community’s traditional desire for profit. Perhaps that’s inevitable. But let us have no more preening about our moral standing in the world. And, after this, let us not pretend to much in the way of national pride either.

Harper will be told by his advisers to just suck it up. And, after kicking a couple of chairs, he will. What is national pride besides the dictates of “the almighty dollar”?

MOREOVEST: But perhaps I’ve misjudged Jack Layton. Here he is, after all, talking about human rights in China:

The NDP Leader added, too, that we need to “show we’re serious about our human rights concerns in China —

Yes? Yes? By…?

— by addressing our human rights problems with Afghan detainees.”

Not just moral equivalence — moral grovelling.

Tags: China, human rights, spinelessness, Stephen Harper

More by Andrew Coyne

http://intensedebate.com/people/Sir_Francis Sir_Francis

Those sleepy late-1990s sure must have been a journalistic desert.

It was 2003, actually, but you can be forgiven for not remembering the last leadership race of a dying party. Do not mock the necessity for the vendetta, though: Orchard was an organic farmer–from Saskatchewan, if you can believe his insolence–and he refused to grant NAFTA the same dogmatic authority enjoyed by the synoptic Gospels. The man was clearly a menace to Canadian security, and his political annihilation saved us all from Stalinist vassalage. Just ask Andrew…

http://intensedebate.com/people/Raging_Ranter Raging_Ranter

You're right on the year, and I was in Ottawa when it happened. I was only remembering his first stab at it in 1998. But the guy was a fiasco waiting to happen anyway. He had all of Deifenbaker's intellect, and none of his charm. If Andrew did cut him apart, it was only because he was bored.

http://intensedebate.com/people/Sir_Francis Sir_Francis

If Andrew did cut him apart, it was only because he was bored.

He was not bored. He was incoherent and apoplectic–as he is in this post. As for a "fiasco waiting to happen", methinks that applies to the king Orchard made (a certain Peter MacKay) rather than to Orchard.

http://intensedebate.com/people/CanadianSense CanadianSense

Parnel latest alias at Nik's pollfan got suspended. I have lost count how many times he keeps returning.
hosertohoosier

You would think people might look up the stats on Canada-China exports before implying that "icy" relationships even matter.

Canadian exports to China in 2006: 7.8 billion
Canadian exports to China in 2008: 10.5 billion

34% growth over 3 years is not bad at all.

Anyhow, I think Harper's twin visits to India and China highlight what should be a major foreign policy direction for the west. China is a rising threat to us, but India is a growing threat to China. We need to do all that we can to strengthen India, so that the Chinese are too busy about their growing neighbour, and cannot focus on the kind of weapons that could threaten our security (if the Chinese build a top-flight air force and navy, we are in real trouble).
http://intensedebate.com/people/Raging_Ranter Raging_Ranter

China is a rising threat to us, but India is a growing threat to China. We need to do all that we can to strengthen India, so that the Chinese are too busy about their growing neighbour

That's just so Reaganesque it's beautiful. And entirely true. Harper knows what he's doing. He knows he has to appear cozy with China, but he is clear on which relationship he feels is more important. And why not? Our traditional ties with India go back to the glory days of the British Empire.

http://intensedebate.com/people/Sir_Francis Sir_Francis

Our traditional ties with India go back to the glory days of the British Empire…

…as do our equally insignificant "ties" to South Africa and Pakistan.

As long as Chinese central banks continue to virtually underwrite the U.S. economy (i.e. indefinitely), there's nothing Harper or anyone else can do to weaken or threaten China. All they can do is mumble pathetically about human rights into their sleeves during state visits, to the wild applause of the adoring acolytes at home.

http://intensedebate.com/people/Gaunilon Gaunilon

It's hard to be a moral leader internationally when our citizens have no interest in any moral leadership domestically.
Orson Bean

And BTW, on the topic of humiliating and crushing America, don't forget that a not-insignificant number of lefties considered the 9/11 attacks to be entirely justified comeuppance for America.
Kelly

Hmm well I guess we could always do the right thing and set up an Embassy in Taiwan.

http://intensedebate.com/people/madeyoulook madeyoulook

I like your thinking.

I'd have been really impressed if PMSH wore a button with an image of a crudely but defiantly created Statue of Liberty in Tiananmen. Or a "what happened to all your baby girls?" button. Or a "can my new liver come from a shoplifter instead of a murderer?" badge. Or something.

Tjeerd

What is it about the left when it comes to Communist regimes.
Bow down and make sure we do not offend their human rights in the open.
The Red regimes love this, they propagandize this to their own citizens.
Lenin called people like Rae and Layton…"useful idiots"

http://intensedebate.com/people/Raging_Ranter Raging_Ranter

I'd have said 'useless idiots', but people were much more polite back then.

Mark

Remember when Martin went to China, he said he would just mention the human rights abuse in China as a passing comment? He also met the Dalai Lamai as a 'private citizen' instead of the PM. Harper took China's human rights abuse to task challenging them to change while rightfully meeting the Dalai Lama as the Prime Minister of Canada. Harper challenges the Chinese Communists on their human right abuse while the Liberals kowtow to them. I wonder if the Liberals hold on PowerCorp has anything to do with the lowly subservient attitude toward the Chinese?
AMartin

I know some will automatically dismiss it because it was published in the National Post but here's a link to David Akin's take on this.

http://network.nationalpost.com/np/blogs/fullcomm…
rhonda

it's obvious that our politicians all have hidden agendas when it come to foreign counter parts. The only way we as canadians suck up anything is when here is a big trade on the rise
Numenius

Well said, Andrew. I agree completely.
ksauder

The most famous Canadian in the world is Norman Bethune, he is beloved by the Chinese people. Canada by extension is loved by the Chinese people, our rebukes to their government have not tarnished their view of us. The Chinese rebuke of Harper is exactly that. We can safely make a stand against their human rights abuses and maintain a trade agreement. It adds complications however, complications that Harpers lackluster foreign relations in the last four years will not be able to surmount. Hopefully this meeting presents a new beginning.

On the matter of the opposition parties; it's a bit rich to expect them to rise above ad hominem attacks when that is what they are confronted with by Conservatives weekly. Minister Baird illustrating the point to a tee. So Andrew I appreciate your position but I find it rings hollow.
Hempman

Canada talks about human rights, but why are Natives still on reserves? Where is their land? Kinda occupied at the moment .
Human rights is not something Canada or Canadians have a right to yap about.
Albi Sole

Yikes Andrew – I agree with every word – that is a first for a lefty like me
typical Canadian

my son just called from China and he says the Chinese loved the answer Prime Minister Harper gave.
The people in Nanjing like the way he presents himself and think he acts like a true Canadian.
If he impresses university students he is doing a great job in my opinion.

Orson Bean

Please, do not let facts get in the way of the anti-Harper narrative. Harper is an embarrassment whenever he is on the international stage. Repeat 1000 times while sitting in the corner . . .
Dickson

Chinese love any Western traitor who worships at the Oriental altar.

Paul

Humiliated? Howso? Why would Mr. Harper run home?
He staked Canadian positions on a number of items and the Chinese still opened the doors to him visiting. Not only that they trotted out a number of done business deals to boot.

Mr. Harper was only humiliated in the eyes of those who wish it to be true…not the adults in the crowd
GMO

All I know is that we must immediately find a Prime Minister more agreeable to the Chinese. Did they indicate a preference between Ignatieff, Layton or Duceppe? Chop chop, Canada!
Janni

2007 trade with China up 11% on the year.
2008 trade with China up 9% more from 2007.
2009 (6 mo. only) trade with China up 3% during global recession.

With China salivating for our commodities of all kinds, trade is up across the board. Is it not actually prudent to raise human rights issues particularly during such active times. Times of strength.
PM Harper was correct in raising the issue of the detention of the Uigher (sp) Chinese Canadian Muslim journalist. After all if PM Harper had not mentioned it I wonder what the same gaggle of opposers here in Canada would be saying. The guess that comes to mind is that it would be exactly the opposite of what they are wailing about now.
I'm getting the impression that Harper actually wowed them. The Chinese certainly admire pragmatism.
Dickson

How shameful to witness both Canada's humiliation at the hands of the Chinese and the opposition parties falling over themselves in a contest to show which one is more pro-Chinese.

Chinese are publicly laughing at our capitulation. They have been waiting for decades to stick it to the West and, due to the Chinese vote in Canada, all parties are acquiescing to China.
Alan Dougherty

Once again, Canada bows down and scrapes their forehead on the ground and beg forgiveness. When will our country have the backbone to tell these countries that they should first look inward before throwing stones.
As was pointed out, China has not sent any person of political stature to Canada for the same period.

Far as the opposition goes, the least said the better. They talk the talk, but when it comes to the walk, they seem to disappear.

Concernng human rights, lets clean up our own country first. Just have to look north , east, west and south of Ottawa, if they are at all concerned about abuse of human rights.
JonD

Oh, Andrew, put a sock in it!

Everybody knew that Harper was gambling with Canada’s trade deficit by taking an aloof and near-belligerent stance with the Chinese. Canadians have paid the price for that for 5 years. If Harper pays a small price now for his actions, he should suck it up. The rest of us have paid already.

Canada’s trade with China continues upward, all right, but it is mostly one way – they sell cheap hardware to us, subsidized to kill our own manufacturers. Our return trade in bulk commodities does not begin to compensate.
kembleinstitute

Iggy is a Conservative operative.
Rae is the backup.
All Harper has to do is come home and say: “Look, I was standing up for human rights and they got a little testy. That’s not losing face, that’s the kind of thing that happens (and worse) when you make a principled stand to a group of thugs.
If you can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen!
Slam Dunk
stevemac

You reap what you sow Harper!!!!
mschell

Andrew Coyne is a well-researched, fairly balanced journalist most of the time. However, this time, he should reconsider.

The former young Reformist Vice-President of the National Citizens Coalition (now Prime Minister Harper), had this to say about his own country, CANADA, to the American National Council—before his election of course!

"It's embarrassing…. Canada is a Northern European welfare state in the worst sense of the term. They believe universal medical care, gay rights, abortion and they have overly generous system for the Unemployed and for Welfare receipients.

"Need I say more? Canadians make no connection between the fact that they are a Northern European welfare state and the fact that we have very low economic growth, a standard of living substantially lower than yours, a massive brain drain of young professionals to your country, and double the unemployment rate of the United States. …"

:"Unemployed Canadians don't feel particularly bad. Why? They don't feel bad about it themselves, as long as they're receiving generous social assistance and unemployment insurance"

"Our Executive is the Queen, who doesn't even live here. Her representative is the Governor General, who is an appointed buddy of the Prime Minister!"

And here's the young Harper's Reformist religious view of the socialist country of CANADA (ugh) he so despises, after he compliments his neocon Republican crowd in Montreal reassuring them how close they are politicially with his Reformers:

"The NDP could be described as basically a party of liberal Democrats, but it's actually worse than that, I have to say. But…..the NDP is kind of proof that the Devil lives and interferes in the affairs of men."

Andrew, all I can say to you is please reconsider as to who has embarrassed whom? And remember Stevie's delayed toilet trip prior to the photo-op to purposely snub the Chinese diplomate? Who is the Schoolboy, eh?

http://intensedebate.com/people/s_c_f s_c_f

There is a difference between criticizing the current government, something which the opposition does each and every day, and a foreign country criticizing Canada.