Jeff Nankivell, Canada’s consul general to Hong Kong and Macau, recently attended a parliamentary hearing in which he said that the Canadian government has made detailed plans “for a mass evacuation from Hong Kong, if necessary. He also pointed out that if any Hong Kong social activists try to seek asylum from the Consulate, there is no way to help them.
Chinese Ambassador to Canada Cong Peiwu also warned Ottawa on October 15 about accepting refugees from Hong Kong, telling the media that “if the Canadian side really cares about the stability and prosperity of Hong Kong, about the health and safety of the 300,000 Canadian passport holders in Hong Kong and the interests of the large number of Canadian companies operating in Hong Kong, they will not be able to help”. It is important to support efforts to combat violent crime.” His remarks have subsequently sparked strong interest and criticism in Canadian politics.
According to a Monday report in the Globe and Mail, during a recent questioning by the House of Commons Select Committee on Canada-China Relations, Mr. Nangeri said that Canada is ready to evacuate if needed. He said, “We do have a detailed plan and we have the resources available to cover a range of scenarios up to and including a situation that would require the emergency departure of a significant number of Canadians. Canada also has “plans to bring in additional resources as the situation demands,” he said.
However, Nangery noted, “the likelihood of that extreme scenario seems very low right now, but our job is to plan for the most extreme scenarios. One problem facing Hong Kongers trying to flee is that travel restrictions in response to the neo-crowning epidemic have prevented them from boarding planes to Canada, the report said. Before the outbreak, they were able to travel to Canada as tourists and request asylum upon arrival. When asked by members of parliament if they would receive Hong Kong people seeking asylum at the Canadian Consulate General in Hong Kong, he gave an overwhelmed response.
Nangeri said, “Canada’s foreign policy is similar to most other countries in that our diplomatic missions, including consulates, do not accept applications from asylum seekers in our own country on our premises.” He noted that no asylum seekers have yet applied to Canada at their local consulates, but if they do, “we will provide them with information about how the Canadian system works, but we cannot welcome them in.” Those wishing to apply for refugee status can do so in a third country, Nanjerry said. But he acknowledges that Hong Kong’s exit controls may hinder some Hong Kong people’s efforts to leave the territory.
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