- Harper may be able to Con Canadians but apparently not the Chinese

John Ibbitson on the rebuke, Dec. 03, 2009
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/john-ibbitson-on-the-rebuke/article1386865/ Tab 3

Harper may be able to Con Canadians but apparently not the Chinese.

You reap what you sow.

The problem is that Harper, MacKay, Bernier and the Con's sowed this discord and we Canadians are reaping the world stage rebuke and damage of trade relations.

Harper's reply is equally embarrassing and typically Harper - try to deflect, no matter how much Bunk you proffer. It is not likely to cause Hu Jing Tao to start tripping over himself from losing face.

Perhaps Harper can list the number of time the Canadian Government has approached China to invite them to come to Canada. I would suspect 'Zero'. If the Chinese approached the Harper Government to come to Canada then it certainly was rebuked by Harper.

You can be sure that Hu Jing Tao's rebuke was very carefully and deliberately designed to send a message, not to Harper - I can't see the Chinese caring very much what Harper, personally, thinks - but to the Canadian people. The timing of the rebuke was also very carefully chosen at a time when all Canadians would hear it directly and openly.

The clear message - Harper you may boast that Canada is an Oil Superpower and you may tout Canada as a source of raw materials. But, Harper you are such small potatoes that we have no reservation of humiliating you while the International light is shining on us. Other countries have Oil and raw materials, who don't take an 'in-your-face' approach and don't insult us to our faces on the International stage. Our culture is 5000 years old, we have just spent 100's of years of suffering and in poverty. We can wait a couple more years for you and your kind to get the boot from Canadians and then re-instate warm, cordial relations as friends and co-horts on the International Stage.

Harper attitude towards the Chinese has put Canada at a huge disadvantage as far as trade with China. Harper's 'hard ball' approach compared to the Chinese amounts to little more than 'boy scout'.


Lloyd MacIlquham cicblog.com/comments.html

see also:

China publicly scolds Harper for taking too long to visit, Dec. 02, 2009
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/china-publicly-scolds-harper-for-taking-too-long-to-visit/article1386656/ Tab 49


A chronology of Canada-China relations
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/a-chronology-of-canada-china-relations/article1387009/
Tab1



Canadian, Chinese leaders should meet more often: Harper,
http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2009/12/03/china-harper-visit.html#socialcomments Tab74