Fellow Canadians,
This July I am travelling to China with Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff and my colleague Scott Brison.
The Liberal Opposition views the Canada-China relationship as a top-priority, but the Harper government initially neglected it, and has only recently recognized it. As Canada’s second-largest trading partner and a country with which Canada shares tremendous cultural and economic connections, we know it’s time for a New Partnership with China.
We also want your ideas for the agenda of our meetings, and for the general goals of this critical new partnership.
Call it open diplomacy: a chance for your voice to be heard on the world stage, and for Canada’s voice to be heard once again.
I hope you will use the tools on this website to participate in this new partnership, and to suggest how we can best move towards a thriving Canada-China relationship within which both of our countries can learn, grow, and prosper.
| Comments and responses represent the views of the poster alone, and do not necessarily represent the views of the Hon. Ujjal Dosanjh, the Liberal Caucus, or the Liberal Party of Canada |
Dear Mr. Dosanjh,
Please keep in mind on your trip that China is a country of contradiction. They are a developing country, but they have a space program, they are authoritarian but they have symbolism and respect as the central pillars of their society.
China is not only a country hungry for oil they are also in the market for nuclear technology. Prime Minister Harper’s government has dropped the ball when it comes to nuclear technology. Though China wants to get good/cheap nuclear tech. they also have a lot to offer Canada in that realm.
Please don’t act like the NDP/Prime Minister Harper and focus all your efforts on human rights. Free-trade and engagement will help bring China around more effectively than any pontificating.
Sincerely,
Joseph Uranowski
By: Joseph Uranowski on August 18, 2009
at 12:55 pm
Dear The Hon. Ujjal Dosanjh:
I respectfully submit to you a few of my concerns below, regarding China in your upcoming September 1 trip with Mr. Michael Ignatieff, John McCallum và Alexandra Mendes,
• China should stop, regulate and control its cheap but lethal products and dump them in Canada and the world to maintain her high foreign reserves
• China should work with other countries suc has G2, G8, and G20 to protect the environment as well as stop destroying the world renown Mekong River through her selfish acts to build electrical dams
• China should respect the right of self-determination of the people in Tibet, Uyghurs, Taiwan as well as stop supporting rogue regimes in Burma, North Korea, Sudan, etc…
• China is an emerging superpower and should behave in a manner to gain respects from the world, not by bullying and threatening all other tiny countries with their expansive military build up and intimidation and occupying the Spratly Island and the surrounding area.
I believe in free trade between Canada and China but not at any costs.
Those who succumb to this idea of complete free trade with China is naïve or gluttony due to self-commercial interests since China is still a tyrannical state with dismay record on human rights but has an expansionistic military agenda to destroy the environment and control the Pacific Asian region.
Yours truly,
Lam Dang
By: Lam Dang on August 19, 2009
at 1:56 pm
That’s great you’re going to China! Go and learn as much as you can about how China has developed into a prosperous, self-sufficient country, what its present needs are and where Canada can help, as a business partner and good neighbour (OK, there’s an ocean between us, but we share that ocean as well as a lot of history). And please check out how increased, more contact people-to-people, student exchange, scientific and arts exchange kinds of projects on the ground can be put in place. And enjoy yourself!
By: Rose-Marie Larsson on August 19, 2009
at 4:30 pm
Any astute businessman who has had dealings with China will tell you not to go with any “China should”s. China is a proud nation which will not tolerate any more patronizing attitudes. Show respect. Get to know the people and culture. Without that, any talk is useless.
Good Luck. I’m sure you will have a wonderful, educational trip.
By: Linda Ironside on August 19, 2009
at 5:47 pm
It is funny how in some parts I resonate with the Liberal party and others – not so much. The importance of China is not lost on myself seeing as the company I work for has a facillity in Changzho. However the human rights issues, the lack of enviromental accountability, and its lack of control of North Korea are never discussed for fear of annoying those powers that be. China needs Canada and for that matter the West as much as we need them. Not only should those issues be addressed but the Chinese virtue of being able to mimic people – they hold in high regard the ability to reverse engineer products, and then re-engineer to a cheaper copy. This is leaving many Canadian companies and live at risk. There has to be a fundamental shift, and the Liberal party needs to start calling a rose a rose, and not tip toe around these issues. If they cut us off, so be it. I am sure that there are some labourers in Sudbury Ontario that are willing to work for minimum wage so that we can have the “made in Canada” logo on more than a Pick-up truck.
Csaba
By: Csaba Knezy on August 19, 2009
at 7:38 pm
As with all Liberal policies, we should balance our approach to respect their aspirations & traditions, while encouraging them to adopt good leadership practices in human rights and environmental areas. It is not “pontificating” to address sound principles and stewardship, but as one commentator has noted, none of the main industrial nations were full-blown democracies when they went thru industrialization. So, patience is appropriate as long as we’re headed in the right direction. You’re not going to China to merely promote the globalization wishes of trans-national companies, but as Canadian representatives of our values. Good luck!
By: Grant Buchan-Terrell on August 26, 2009
at 1:03 pm
A good Canada/China partnership might prove useful for Canada for better deals.
China might need quality lumber w/o raw logs going cross border to steal Canadian jobs (Softwood dispute Canada/USA had, China might play ball better, more jobs/money for Canada)
Not a bad ideas since the NAFTA (North American Trade Agreement) means America 1st and Canada some other number!
Plus from China’s side Canada might not be so protectionist about fair trade.
Nice to see govt officials who represent people WITH comments. Hopefully a trend setting idea! Listens to the people? Who’d a thought?
By: Trevor on August 26, 2009
at 10:07 pm
Canada’s entire population is smaller than that of the city of Shanghai of which they have 184 major cities. Our PM is regarded as a city mayor in China ! …so stop making noise and criticizing about China’s unprecedented and momentous challenges that they are successfully overcoming and implementing at break neck pace that we only wish we can accomplish !
Canada and Canadians have a lot to learn from China, instead of criticizing someone else’s household, look at your own and take decisive action !
Canadian media is basis and corporately owned, it demonizes China on one hand and then reaps “inflated profits” on the other, what a farce !
China produces 85% of world’s consumer goods, 30% of the world’s food supply and recycles just as much of which a percentage is Canadian garbage !
I think a pat on the back to keep up the good work is in order !
By: EdT on August 28, 2009
at 8:51 pm