Canadian Parliamentary Report: Supporting Hong Kong’s Autonomy to Prevent China Threat

The Canadian Parliamentary Committee on Canada-China Relations recently released a special report on Hong Kong and made 12 recommendations to the Canadian government to deal with the Chinese side. Canada’s Federal Minister of Public Safety also pointed out that China is the biggest threat to Canada.

The report, released on the 25th, provides a comprehensive analysis of the current situation of Hong Kong’s autonomy being infringed upon by the Chinese authorities, and details measures Ottawa should take to defend Hong Kong’s autonomy and the rights of Canadian citizens. 12 recommendations include supporting the implementation of universal suffrage in Hong Kong, so that Hong Kong people can have a voice in running the city; recommending that Ottawa make clear that it will not respond to any requests for judicial assistance related to the Hong Kong National Security Act; and urging the government to join with allied countries to impose targeted sanctions on Canada. Urges the government to join with allied countries to impose targeted sanctions on relevant Chinese officials; calls on Ottawa to adopt a stronger immigration policy, including relaxing Family reunification rules so that relatives other than immediate family members can apply for immigration to help Hong Kong people break away from Beijing‘s crackdown; and to study the issuance of expedited travel documents so that Hong Kong democrats can leave Hong Kong in a safe and timely manner.

The report also cites threats against Canadian citizens for supporting human rights and democracy in Hong Kong, and urges Ottawa to review the activities of Chinese diplomats to determine whether they are engaged in irregular diplomatic missions.

Canadian Public Safety Minister Bill Blair admitted before the committee that China is the biggest threat to foreign powers and that many foreign governments resort to having forms of intervention and lobbying based on their own interests, but there is always a bottom line: “When someone crosses the red line and tries to interfere with our democratic institutions, with our nationals’ When someone crosses the red line and tries to interfere with our democratic institutions, with the legitimate rights of our citizens, with our elections, that is absolutely unacceptable. We will have programs in place to respond to and counter such foreign harassment.”

Cherie Wong, executive director of Alliance Canada Hong Kong, has publicly mentioned that she and some of her pro-Hong Kong friends have been threatened and intimidated by Chinese individuals, and that despite calling the police, the police seem unable to do anything about it.

RCMP Chief Brenda Lucki said police will take more effective protective measures, but also need more active notification from the public: “If people are being intimidated, once it’s brought to our attention, it will be fully investigated. If someone violates any of the laws in the Criminal Code, we will hold them accountable. The National Security Notification Line is 1-800-420-5805 and it seems that many people are unaware of this pipeline.”

Canadian MPs have suggested that Ottawa follow Australia’s example and enact an Anti-Foreign Intervention Act, so that law enforcement does not become a toothless tiger if there is a law to follow. Last year Yang Yisheng, a 65-year-old leader of the Chinese community in Australia, became the first party to be prosecuted under this law for his alleged involvement with the Communist Party’s United Front Work Department agency.