Harper's Conservative Ideology Has Hampered Business Relations With China
Canada recognized the People's Republic of China in 1970 - a full two years before the US did likewise!
China's history in the 20th Century is stunning in its complexity and record of progress in spite of monumental challenges and obstacles.
From a nation under the control of an all powerful 'emperor system' until 1912, the nation cast off the feudal system that had ruled its society for centuries. Invasion and brutal occupation by the Empire of Japan began a devastating period that led to the rise of Mao Tse Tung and his People's Liberation Army.
In spite of war, famines, drought and the sheer weight of its population numbers, China has brought itself clearly into the 21st Century with its head held high - massive industrialization, technology, space travel - and its people fed and housed. It is a staggering accomplishment!
And what is Stephen Harper's mindset on China? Well, he reverts again to his University of Calgary right wing political ideology and idiotically mutters Reform Party schlock about 'unfettered free markets'.
No other nation on the planet has undergone the struggles and achievments that China has over the last 100 years.
Stephen Harper should be in his seat as a world leader at the opening ceremonies of the Beijing Olympics. Whatever his personal beliefs concerning the PRC are, he has a duty to represent Canada and to acknowledge that China is a citizen nation of the global community and to acknowledge the long journey that China has made over the last century.
Instead, Harper will continue to display his small minded, petty preference for extreme right wing values and views. Stephen Harper is NO world leader.
The Globe & Mail
China's history in the 20th Century is stunning in its complexity and record of progress in spite of monumental challenges and obstacles.
From a nation under the control of an all powerful 'emperor system' until 1912, the nation cast off the feudal system that had ruled its society for centuries. Invasion and brutal occupation by the Empire of Japan began a devastating period that led to the rise of Mao Tse Tung and his People's Liberation Army.
In spite of war, famines, drought and the sheer weight of its population numbers, China has brought itself clearly into the 21st Century with its head held high - massive industrialization, technology, space travel - and its people fed and housed. It is a staggering accomplishment!
And what is Stephen Harper's mindset on China? Well, he reverts again to his University of Calgary right wing political ideology and idiotically mutters Reform Party schlock about 'unfettered free markets'.
No other nation on the planet has undergone the struggles and achievments that China has over the last 100 years.
Stephen Harper should be in his seat as a world leader at the opening ceremonies of the Beijing Olympics. Whatever his personal beliefs concerning the PRC are, he has a duty to represent Canada and to acknowledge that China is a citizen nation of the global community and to acknowledge the long journey that China has made over the last century.
Instead, Harper will continue to display his small minded, petty preference for extreme right wing values and views. Stephen Harper is NO world leader.
The Globe & Mail
Whooee! Yeah, we're in bed with the Gitmo Guys. Why not crawl in with the torturin' Chinese, too?
It ain't only the right wing ideologues who have problems with China. Amnesty International has a few complaints, too.
Amnesty International has documented widespread human rights violations in China. An estimated 500,000 people are currently enduring punitive detention without charge or trial, and millions are unable to access the legal system to seek redress for their grievances. Harassment, surveillance, house arrest, and imprisonment of human rights defenders are on the rise, and censorship of the Internet and other media has grown. Repression of minority groups, including Tibetans, Uighurs and Mongolians, and of Falun Gong practitioners and Christians who practice their religion outside state-sanctioned churches continues. While the recent reinstatement of Supreme People’s Court review of death penalty cases may result in lower numbers of executions, China remains the leading executioner in the world.
More from Amnesty's Canadian chapter.
All that and lead painted toys, too. What's not to like?
JB
Posted by
JimBobby |
1:35 pm, August 06, 2008
JB ... so you agree that Harper should boycott the Olympic games Opening Ceremony? If affirmative, I assume you also agree also that a sitting PM should also NEVER attend games in the US?
It seems to me that Canada's record on conditions that our aboriginal people live under could and perhaps should be considered serious enough for many nations to boycott our upcoming winter olympics.
Our human rights record on First Nations matters sucks - big time! Our record on health and living conditions on First Nations reserves is worthy of the entire worlds condemnation.
But ... again, Harper's ideology says that the unfettered free market can fix those problems too.
Posted by
leftdog |
2:01 pm, August 06, 2008
Whooee! I don't give a rat's ass whether Harpercrite goes to China or not. I'm just pointing out that China ain't exactly worthy of a great deal of respect in the human rights department. As for whether we should hear complaints from the international community wrt our own abuses, I say we should be as willing as we expect he Chinese to be.
My problems with China have mostly to do with the thousands of death penalties they carry out every year. The million poor people who were displaced to build the Olympic venue is another issue. The muzzling of parents who lost their only children in the Sichuan earthquake is another issue.
No country is lily white when it comes to human rights. China is one of the worst, though.
As far as trade goes, I have big problems with China wrt to wages and working conditions.
As far as environmental concerns go, I think we're worse than China -- especially on a per capita basis. Ironically enough, I was defending China's environmental record over at StageLeft today.
Yeah, I'd boycott the Merkans, too. Hell, I won't even drive 90 minutes to go over there and visit my brother.
JB
Posted by
JimBobby |
2:43 pm, August 06, 2008