Thread by @joannachiu

As China-related tensions spike around the world, Canada's parliament is on a break ... leaving some Canadians concerned about their safety.

My story in @TorontoStar w/ comments @chercywong @PrestonJordanL1 @cburton001 @GarnettGenuis: thestar.com/news/canada/20… #cdnpoli

Back in January, the director of a group in support of Hong Kong democracy received a call to her hotel demanding she leave and that “people” were coming to collect her.

Police didn't help much, but a new parliament committee listened to her concerns.
thestar.com/news/canada/20…

Last week, Oz journalists @billbirtles @MikeSmithAFR fled China after police demanded interviews and blocked their departures in relation to the arrest of Australian TV anchor Cheng Lei.

This raises questions about the safety of all journalists in China. thestar.com/news/world/aus…

It’s a terrible time for work on Canada-China relations to grind to a halt, critics say.

The committee was created when opposition parties banded together to force its creation to study “all aspects” of the fraught relationship between the two countries. thestar.com/news/canada/20…

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau put parliament on a break on Aug. 18, preventing the release of two major Committees' reports on the situation of China’s #Uyghur people and the situation in #HongKong, where 300,000 Canadians live. thestar.com/news/canada/20…

Explainer: What does it mean to prorogue Parliament? Here’s what you need to know about Trudeau’s halting parliamentary session by @JohannaEChis
thestar.com/politics/2020/…

Now, Cherie Wong, who received the call to her hotel room that sounded like a kidnapping threat, is worried about other Canadians with Hong Kong ties.

Trudeau's Liberals had voted against the formation of the Canada-China committee in the first place. thestar.com/news/canada/20…

“It’s been an extremely active committee that has brought many things to light, such as the intimidation of Canadians on Canadian soil who have criticized the Chinese government’s human rights record,” @GarnettGenuis told me. thestar.com/news/canada/20… #cdnpoli

In response to criticism, a government spokesperson said: “Our foreign relations should not be partisan … It will now be up to the House of Commons to determine what happens with it." thestar.com/news/canada/20… #cdnpoli #China

How about journalists? So far, Canadians haven't been targeted the way other foreign journalists have with recent expulsions and arbitrary detention.

But @cburton001 says all Western media should consider pulling their journalists for safety reasons. thestar.com/news/canada/20…

But Canadians including my friend Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor have spend over 600 days in Chinese prison. My colleague @Nuttallreports writes on why they have little hope of fair treatment. thestar.com/news/canada/20…

Michael Kovrig's grandfather was a Hungarian internment camp survivor who worked as a journalist in China. thestar.com/news/canada/20…

While the Canada-China committee's future is uncertain, former @erinotoole advisor @PrestonJordanL1 says the Trudeau government can take action now to protect Canadians before Parliament is back in session. Read more: thestar.com/news/canada/20… #cdnpoli @TorontoStar

When I write an article and a long thread about a story, and my editors sum it up so neatly in a headline. #teamwork

"An Ottawa effort to improve China strategy is on hold. Backsliding now could put Canadians at risk" thestar.com/news/canada/20… #cdnpoli

Tension + context to above is that people are worried that addressing human rights/safety concerns for Canadians who speak critically about China may become a partisan issue. @Nuttallreports wrote about why progressive voters say they're facing a dilemma. thestar.com/politics/feder…

Correction to above: Veteran NYT China journalist @iandenisjohnson is originally from Quebec. Here, he talks about the personal cost of the China/US standoff: abc.net.au/radionational/…

Am I missing other Canadians who have been affected by recent expulsions?