In 2013, the Liberal candidate who was, at the time, running for Prime Minister of Canada Justin Trudeau made a comment that propelled the Asian-Canadian community to demand an apology from him. During a Liberal “Ladies Night” meet and greet and fundraiser in Toronto, he was asked what nation he looked up to the most besides Canada. 

To this prompt, he responded that he admired the basic dictatorship of China, claiming that it was allowing them to bolster their economy. Does this mean that Trudeau admires dictatorship?

This statement proved to be deeply disturbing for the Asian-Canadian community. It was especially felt by those who claimed to have been put through torture and imprisonment at the hands of the Chinese government. There were some who fought for democracy in their home country and fled to Canada to escape dictatorship and live a life of freedom. 

Members of the Federation for a Democratic China said that they would like an apology along with a meeting with the Prime Minister with himself so that he could listen to some of their personal stories about the atrocities that they faced at the hands of the Chinese government.

Two years later, in 2015, while Justin Trudeau was in office as Prime Minister, it became clear that his personal beliefs were being put into action. The environment minister at the time Catherine McKenna frequently upheld China as the global leader of climate change due to their coal power. 

In 2018, two Canadian men, Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor, were jailed in response to Canada’s approval of a request from the United States that Meng Wanzhou, the CFO of the company Huwawei, be detained in Vancouver. This was an event which launched a trade war between Canada and China. 

In light of these remarks, it is necessary to consider the implications that Liberal leader Justin Trudeau and his government’s views have for the future of the nation of Canada. It is important to remember that he claimed to be pro-dictatorship and in support of China, and Canadians should consider the threat to their own personal freedoms and to their country’s democracy that their government may pose.

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