Stephen Harper-courageous and innovative
Dear Editor,
Re: Harper right to defend human rights and democracy against Chinese bullying
Harper right on China
I have lived through eleven Prime Ministers from The Right Hon. Louis Stephen St-Laurent to the Right Hon. Stephen Joseph Harper and I cannot recall a more courageous or innovative PM than Stephen Harper.
This week he made it crystal clear Canada will not “sell out” our position on human rights, democracy and freedom for trade and investment with China or the “almighty dollar.”
Harper is right in stating “I think Canadians want us to promote our trade relations worldwide, and we do that, but I don’t think Canadians want us to sell out important Canadian values.”
I could not help but recall former Liberal Prime Minister Paul Martin’s reluctance to bring up human rights issues when he visitied Beijing yet criticizing Conservative MP
Jason Kenney for visiting Chinese leader Zhao Ziyang who lost his job and spent 15 years under house arrest for opposing the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre.
The Chinese government’s extreme suppression of foreign influence in religious matters was evidenced at the 1995 U.N. Fourth World Conference on Women and parallel NGO Forum on Women in Beijing where delegates were told not to bring religious materials into China. Religious persecution of all faiths continues to increase in China.
Integrity and leadership continue to be the hallmarks of Harper’s Prime Ministership.
His innovative approach on foreign policy is refreshing and proves he is willing to not only “talk the talk” but “walk the walk” and do the right thing.
Gerald R Hall
