John Chuckman
COMMENT POSTED TO AN ARTICLE BY JANYCE MCGREGOR ON CBC NEWS
“Banning Huawei from Canada's 5G networks could be costly for taxpayers
“Terms of investment treaty allow Chinese to sue if government acts on security fears”
Money is just the beginning of the costs, and quite possibly the least of them.
There's our reputation for trustworthiness and dependability as a country doing business internationally.
There's the fact that China would seek opportunities for hurting export developments important to us, as they very much should under such circumstances.
And who needs or wants all that antagonism, completely needless antagonism? China normally displays absolutely no antagonism towards us. They are entirely civil, but our government’s behavior, under American influence, has helped change that.
Having served as the “homestay” for a wonderful Chinese student in Canada for the best part of three years and having come to know some of his many friends, I can say Canada was extremely well regarded. What a shame to throw that away, the opinions of bright young people who will influence their society for years to come.
There's the simple fact that China’s is the best technology of its kind on the planet right now. Banning it puts you behind. Besides, it stinks of new kind of Luddism. Political Luddism.
And, since the United States' entire purpose in all these events, from the start, was to hurt this excellent Chinese technology, for which they have no substitute, we would be playing the Pompeo-Pence-Bolton game, one without fair rules.
We all saw Pence the other day at a big Munich conference trying to tell Europeans what to do in a number of economic and development matters. He was received with stony silence by the audience at times. And with a powerful counter-argument from an old ally like Germany.
America is simply asking what it has no right to ask. Its behavior is blind, blundering, rude, and improper. It trying to fight an underhanded battle against major economic competition - Chinese technology, Russian natural gas, and other products - by proclaiming high principles which do not apply.
Is that the kind of world we want? One where a single big country feels it can order or pressure everyone over what it is that they buy and trade?
It represents insufferable arrogance and bullying. Is Canada going to effectively embrace and support the Mike Pence and Mike Pompeo and John Bolton types of this world? Encourage them in their totally inappropriate activity?
I sure hope not. For once, Justin, show a little backbone, and some independence of thought.
