Prime Minister Justin Trudeau stated that establishing a political rapprochement with China is currently not feasible due to decisions made by the Chinese regime that have strained its global relationships. During an interview with Bloomberg’s Erik Schatzker in Singapore on Sept. 7, Mr. Trudeau stated, “China has made decisions over the past years that have made it more difficult—not just for Canada, but for other countries—to engage.” He specifically mentioned the arbitrary detention of Canadian citizens Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor, which was widely seen as an example of China’s hostage diplomacy in response to Canada’s arrest of Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou.
Despite the release of the two Canadians in September 2021, Mr. Trudeau emphasized that the relationship between Canada and China remains tense, partly due to concerns about foreign interference. There have been reports of Beijing’s alleged involvement in Canadian elections in both 2019 and 2021. Global News reported in November 2022 that Canada’s intelligence officials had warned Mr. Trudeau about China’s interference in the 2019 election, which included funding federal candidates through a clandestine network. The Globe and Mail also published articles in February detailing Beijing’s strategies to interfere in Canada’s 2021 federal election.
In response to these reports, the federal government appointed Quebec Court of Appeal Justice Marie-Josée Hogue to lead a public inquiry into foreign state interference. The Liberal government initially resisted holding a public inquiry but later engaged in negotiations with opposition parties to determine the parameters of the inquiry after former governor general David Johnston resigned as a special rapporteur on foreign interference in June.
In a separate development, Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault attended a Beijing-led environmental forum in late August, during which he aimed to rebuild diplomatic ties with China. However, the relationship between Canada and China in the environmental sector was the only area of collaboration, as acknowledged by the Liberal government. Furthermore, the Liberal government has faced criticism for delaying the passage of legislation to establish a foreign agent registry, which would enhance transparency regarding lobbying activities on behalf of foreign authorities in Canada.
Mr. Trudeau justified the delay by referring to the complexity of the issue, stating that careful consideration is required. He also hinted at Canada’s historical Chinese Immigration Act, which banned Chinese immigrants, in response to questions about the reluctance to establish a foreign agent registry. The Liberal government conducted a public consultation on this matter in May but did not provide a specific timeline for progress during Mr. Trudeau’s interview on September 7.