Prime Minister Stephen Harper Boycotts Olympic Games in China
Although Canada has a checkered human rights record concerning the living and economic conditions of its First Nations and aboriginal people ... Harper has decided to make 'human rights' his excuse for avoiding attendance at the opening ceremonies of the Beijing Olympics.
The Olympic Games are intended to foster dialogue and interaction amongst ALL nations so that problems of human rights and democracy can be openly discussed and confronted. Harper's unilateral boycott does little to foster any dialogue and should be roundly criticised by Canadians.
If there is one segment of Canadian society that should be actively demanding that Harper attend the games, it is the business sector that relies on good relations with China to protect billions of dollars of trade annually. Harper is gambling with Canadian commerce in an attempt to woo the hardcore right wing of his party.
-CBC
-XXIX Olympic Games Officially Opened!
It's remarkable that we are completely willing to boycott symbolic but unimportant things, like the Prime Minister's attendance at the Olympics, but completely unwilling to boycott something that is substantively meaningful, like trade in goods produced by child sweatshop labour.
Posted by Devin Johnston | 3:07 pm, August 07, 2008
All of a sudden, you're interested in protecting corporate intersts.
You're a joke
Posted by Francis Walsingham | 8:57 am, August 08, 2008
It's a pity we didn't have a LEADER to send along to China to represent all of us.
Anyway, rice might be fattening for Harper so he'd avoid that. Anyway, it's not a Christian nation.
Posted by Anonymous | 9:14 am, August 08, 2008
Francis Walsingham is using software to block my reading of his/her IP number.
Since you are being abusive .... you are advised to go and troll elsewhere.
Posted by leftdog | 9:38 am, August 08, 2008