- cross-posted to:
- world@lemmy.world
- cross-posted to:
- world@lemmy.world
The Globe and Mail column, “Let’s free ourselves of the U.S. and forge closer ties with China”, by Julian Karaguesian and Robin Shaban, reveals a troubling lack of historical awareness and strategic judgment.
Marketed as a call for Canadian economic independence, it amounts to an argument for deeper dependence on an authoritarian regime that uses coercive diplomacy, illicit finance and political interference to erode democratic sovereignty.
Canadians should reject the notion that closer alignment with Beijing strengthens our independence. The opposite is demonstrably true.
The authors praise China’s economic dynamism and technological progress but ignore the context in which these gains were made. They are not the result of fair-market innovation, but of systematic intellectual property theft, forced technology transfers and vast state subsidies that distort global competition.
…
Proposing deeper technological engagement with a regime known for embedding backdoors in products like Huawei hardware, which Canadian security agencies have flagged as a national security risk, and for weaponizing supply chains is dangerously naïve. This isn’t innovation; it’s strategic infiltration that introduces unacceptable risks into Canada’s economic infrastructure.
Equating Canada’s alliance with the U.S. to strategic subservience misrepresents the nature of cooperation in a rules-based international order.
…
Beijing has made clear it does not operate as a predictable or principled partner. Its use of retaliatory diplomacy — such as the politically motivated detention of Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor, bans on Canadian agricultural exports and the expansion of United Front influence operations (covert and overt efforts by the Chinese Communist Party to sway public opinion and policy abroad)—demonstrates a pattern of intimidation.
…
Replacing that [U.S.] alliance with exposure to a regime that jails dissidents, manipulates international institutions and conducts cyberespionage on Canadian citizens is not diversification. It’s submission.
Canada should not trade the open architecture of the Atlantic alliance for Beijing’s authoritarian opacity. Strategic autonomy cannot be built on intimidation and coercion. We must engage the world, but with eyes open and principles intact.
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Everything in that headline describes the US or the UK, and probably every other “western” nation too
American media is really trying to stop us from standing up for ourselves.
What’s important for people like Carney and the neo liberals is the bottom line, which is the economy. Profits. The sooner the better. You gotta show positive growth during this quarter or risk losing your shareholders and investors.
You think the economy cares about morals? About ethics? About human rights? About environmental protection? Hell, all of those at hindrances. If they could have slavery and dump their shit all over the place without consequences, they would.
This is capitalism.
Please read the report before posting. It is China that jails dissidents, manipulates international institutions and spies on Canadian citizens.
Canada kills indigenous people, they genocided them as well.
Canada hides that fact by pretending to be nice.
Canada applauded a literal Ukrainian Nazi in their parliament just a few years ago for fighting against the Russians in WW2.
Canada is just as bad as all the other countries in the world when it comes to human rights.
Let’s not fool ourselves.
Canada is just as bad as all the other countries in the world when it comes to human rights.
This is, of course, rubbish.
That aside, I am not sure what you want to say with this and your other statements.
Should Canada ignore the U.S.’ bullying and coercion now?
Or only China’s bullying and coercion?
Shouldn’t Canada improve its democratic institution ‘to not fool ourselves’?
Just business as usual as if nothing happened?
Shouldn’t Canada improve its democratic institution ‘to not fool ourselves’?
You seem to actively post pleas to keep Canada accepting US propaganda on who Canada’s enemies should be.
Jailing dissidents Are any of the people jailed trying to improve China, or are they US paid trolls, like you?
Canada is currently supporting a US war/murder rampage on Venezuela that has no valid pretense. It fully validates any lie the POTUS makes up to attack anyone, which he is using against Canada right now.
Scumbags who write and promote such Op Eds do so to force Canada to only rely on investment blessed from their/our colonial master, and we must all die waiting for it to happen as our only option.
So should Canada ignore the U.S.’ bullying and coercion now? Or only China’s bullying and coercion?
Canada, as US colonial lapdog, has history of bullying China. Canada should stop bullying China and get closer to humanist world. It is ONLY by distancing from US on militarism that US can reduce its overall evil, or at least treat Canada as a better slave for cooperation with its evil.
Canada … has history of bullying China
How did Canada do that?
And Canada enables them by increasing business with them.
As an addition:
Responding to questions about Canada’s pursuit of increased trade with India and China despite Canadian intelligence agencies reporting political interference, European Union Commissioner for Democracy, Justice, the Rule of Law and Consumer Protection Michael McGrath says that ‘where you have evidence’ of foreign interference from a nation looking to do more trade, ‘you have to address it.’ McGrath argues the EU and Canada should be working more closely on online risks: ‘Our democracy is under threat.’