Poilievre Asks If Ottawa Will Speak Out Against Suppression of Chinese Protesters

Conservative Party Leader Pierre Poilievre rises during Question Period at the House of Commons in Ottawa on Sept. 22, 2022. The Canadian Press/Adrian Wyld

Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre today questioned the federal government on how it will respond to Beijing’s reported crackdown on protests that have been breaking out across the country in response to restrictive COVID-19 measures.

“There’s a wave of protests across China right now, and there are now reports of government crackdowns against those protests,” Poilievre said during question period in the House of Commons on Nov. 28.

Poilievre referenced the Liberal government’s new Indo-Pacific Strategy, unveiled yesterday by Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly, who said Canada will be pledging more resources to challenge China’s “increasingly disruptive” presence in the region.

Poilievre today asked if the government is “serious” about its commitment to stand up to China.

“Will they [the government] indicate to Beijing that the peaceful protests should be allowed to go ahead and that any crackdown should be resisted?” he asked.

Joly’s parliamentary secretary, Maninder Sidhu, responded to the question, saying the government is “very closely” monitoring the protests in China.

“We remain in close contact with our embassy and consulate,” Sidhu said.

“We believe in freedom of expression at home and abroad, including in China, and that protesters should be able to peacefully protest and share their views without fearing for their safety.”

Mass protests against the Chinese Communist Party’s COVID-19 lockdowns broke out last week after at least 10 people died in an apartment fire in Urumqi, a city located in north-western China, when first responders were held up for hours by COVID blockades and locks throughout the residential compound.

Police reportedly began searching protesters’ phones Monday to see if they were using the Telegram app or virtual private networks (VPNs), both of which are illegal in China.

Indo-Pacific Strategy

The federal government’s new Indo-Pacific Strategy includes a $2.2. billion investment over the next five years for a number of projects in the region. Joly has said the strategy is built around five objectives, the first being to address security threats to Canada in both the physical and digital spheres.

“We’re bolstering our collaboration with and contribution to the fight on foreign interference. The targeting of Canadians will not be tolerated. No effort will be spared to protect Canadians and defend against these threats,” Joly said during a press conference in Vancouver on Nov. 27.

Earlier this month, Global News reported that Beijing had interfered in Canada’s 2019 federal election by covertly funding 11 federal candidates.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau recently said he was never briefed on the allegations of candidates receiving Chinese funding. Opposition parties have called on the government to further investigate the issue and reveal the names of the candidates who allegedly received foreign funding.

Joly also mentioned in her announcement yesterday that the federal government will be enhancing its Arctic security, following reports that China could present a threat to Canada’s northern regions within the next 20 years.

“We will continue to protect the Arctic and uphold our Arctic sovereignty,” Joly said yesterday. “More Canadian men and women in uniform will be in the region to ensure peace and ensure also to uphold the rule of law.”

Reuters, Andrew Chen, and Alex Wu contributed to this report.