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Values and Culture

Thank you for participating in the Dialogue on Foreign Policy. The interactive web site is now closed. The Minister's report will appear on this web site once it is released.

This Forum is bilingual, and participants post messages in their language of choice.

Canada's accountability for China's accountability

Contributor: Michael

Date: 2003-05-01 23:10:11



China would not initially tell the world the truth about its worsening SARS problem, even when the world was asking.

They clearly did not feel that they had to say anything, otherwise they would have. This was seen when they eventually admitted they had been lying, but only once they felt they had no other choice. The pressure from the international community was too great. When they were revealed, they changed. But why did they not think they were accountable initially?

The answer is simple and clear: the world has never held them accountable, including our government in Canada.

There is an ongoing, mass persecution of tens of thousands of Falun Gong practitioners in China. It is an horrific genocide and our Foreign Affairs knows the truth and they know the details. Major Human Rights organizations around the world have documented this atrocity in-depth.

Our government's response over the four years of this ongoing atrocity has been been to capitulate to China's desire that all dialogue and commentary from our government in regards to the persecution be done behind closed doors. Our government has agreed to this for four years and the persecution has only worsened.

China works feverishly to try and protect its image internationally, mainly for the progression of its economic growth. But there is also the classic saving of face, which in its intensity is unique in China. Our government has agreed with China to not publicly reveal the true face of China in this matter to either the Canadian people or the rest of the world. We should, of course, in any sense of morality and responsibility be publicly and harshly condemning this ongoing brutal human rights violation being undertaken against innocent people who strive to become kinder and better people through their practice of Falun Gong.

Now SARS has visited itself upon the largest city in our country. When looking at a broader perspective, is this any surprise?







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