Canada’s opposition parties on Wednesday called on Liberal Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government to get tougher on China, including by officially banning Huawei Technologies Co Ltd’s 5G technology from being used in the country.
The parties passed a non-binding motion put forward by the Conservatives calling China a threat to Canadian interests and values, and urging the government to draft a plan to ‘combat China’s growing foreign operations’ in Canada.
‘We call on the Liberal government to finally grow a spine and make a decision on Huawei’s involvement in Canada’s 5G network,’ Conservative leader Erin O’Toole said.
Trudeau’s government is currently putting on hold any decision on whether to allow Huawei 5G technology, even though Canada’s main allies in the intelligence-sharing Five-Eyes group – the United States, the UK, Australia and New Zealand – have all taken steps to ban Huawei.
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Trudeau heads a minority government that depends on one of three opposition parties to pass legislation and stay afloat. Last month, the prime minister appeared to seek an early vote, without success, but many in Ottawa now expect a snap election next year.
At this point, Ottawa has continues to struggle to respond to Beijing’s aggressive tactics after the arrest of Huawei Chief Financial Officer Meng Wanzhou in Vancouver on a U.S. arrest warrant two years ago. This act has put Canada in the middle of the U.S.-China trade war. After Meng’s arrest, China arrested two Canadian citizens for alleged spying, and they have been imprisoned ever since. China also cut off imports of canola. Meng is fighting extradition to the United States.
With U.S.-China relations at their worst in decades, Washington has been pushing governments around the world to squeeze out Huawei, arguing it would hand over data to the Chinese government for spying. Huawei denies it spies for China.
Trudeau repeated that his government was awaiting a recommendation from the country’s intelligence agencies.
‘Huawei has always supported – and continues to support – the government’s evidence-based review of potential 5G providers,’ Huawei Canada Vice President Alykhan Velshi said in a statement, adding the company ‘has never received a complaint’ from Canada about a security breach.
The opposition motion, which passed 179-146, called on the government within 30 days to officially ban Huawei 5G and come up with a plan to counter Chinese operations aimed at intimidating Chinese nationals living in Canada.
AFRICA TODAY NEWS, NEW YORK