Cornwall ON – Let me get this right. The National Congress of Chinese Canadians (NCCC) wants a meeting with CSIS head Richard Fadden to seek an apology for comments he didn’t make. They feel he cast a cloud over the Chinese Canadian community and they want to discuss possible “corrective action” again for comments he didn’t make.
My understanding is that it was the media that referenced the Chinese community, not Fadden. At no time did he suggest that the politicians were Chinese Canadians either. If the NCCC feels ill done by, they should be demanding an apology from the media instead of CSIS.
The recent arrests in the United States have shown that there are other nations, besides China with active intelligence organizations operating in North America. We have a large multicultural population in Canada which offers us many benefits in both a cultural and economic sense. However, we have to be honest and admit that on occasion some communities bring the problems of their homelands here with them. One example would be the Tamil Tigers who both recruited and raised funds within the Canadian Tamil community for years. Those funds financed a bloody civil war that included the use of child soldiers and suicide bombers.
It would be quite normal for a foreign government to want to know what is going on in Canada, who is raising funds to support groups opposed to that government or who might be able to influence new trading opportunities or regulations. Politicians are a logical target. Take a look at the number of junkets politicians from all three levels of government take that are paid for by foreign governments or foreign organizations. Do you honestly think they do this because they are trying to increase tourism? They hope to impress you, give you a better understanding of their country, their political situation and perhaps open up new lines of communications over here.
It’s no surprise that some Canadian politicians jumped on the wagon and criticized Fadden. After all this isn’t about being honest and admitting that other countries spy on us, this is also about winning votes at election time.
Unfortunately in Canada we always have to be politically correct and even when someone doesn’t say something about one of our multicultural groups, he is still expected to apologize to them. Only in Canada could that happen.
Hogwash! Time to grow up Canada!
Keith Beardsley is a senior strategist for True North Public Affairs in Ottawa, as well as a blogger and political analyst. He can often be found running or cycling on his favorite bike trails.
Keith you have completely missed the point and used other distractions to hide your bias! Fadden had expressed, more than suggested that Chinese Canadian politicians are under the influence of foreign government. He did that by making reference and agreeing to the contents of certain relevant media, he used the media as his language to communicate his accusation, (with no proof) just the same way you use a written language to express your opinion of conviction.
If Joe says and suggested, that you are pimp, and I raise the same point a minute later making reference to Joe’s suggestion and reinforce that Joe is not incorrect, then there is no different from me making declaration that I believe that you are a pimp!
The diff. is that you can be incompetent and dumb to pick that up, and no one will point the finger at you, but not when people of status like Fadden make suggestion and accusation about entire sections of our population. Keith you do not understand multiculturalism, and certainly toooooo dumb to be a credible “analyst” of any kind.
Thanks for your comments. Having served as Chief of Staff to the Federal Minister of Multiculturalism I understand it all to well, the good, the bad and the ugly. Thanks for your comments though, they are always appreciated.
Rereading that post and I should clarify that I didn’t serve for the present minister but some time ago.
How is multiculturalism working in the US, Saudi Arabia, and China? This country spends too much money on making everyone feel right at home. I suggest a new motto. Canada, good enough to make a new home, good enough to follow our values.
Eric well said! We spend too much time worrying about multiculturalism and peoples feelings in this our great country of Canada. It’s time to stop being prisoners in our own country! People coming to Canada need to heed our Canadian ways or not come to Canada at all! Let’s take our country back!
me thinks thou protest too much!
It should not be unusual for spy catcher Richard Fadden to point out that there are spies in this world, that is his job, also part of his job is to make naive or careless persons aware. Spies are a part of everyone’s culture no matter that some Canadians wish to remain oblivious to reality. Ignoring the possible outcomes of such activity is easy until it is your personal life involved, your business affected or your country compromised. No apologies necessary.
Something to consider is that CSIS has files on thousands of Canadians who have left-of-center political views. If you don’t want a file, keep your mouth shut.