Another Thought Coming: Genocide … yes … no … maybe

By Medicine Hat News Opinion on March 2, 2021.

Monday, Feb. 22, 2021, the day the west wind warning ended. Also, the day our government did something great, worthy of honour.

They voted on a motion to declare that China is committing genocide against Uighurs and Turkic Muslims. The vote was 266 out of 338, and that is a big win.

Canada will now say China is committing genocide, including arbitrary detention, political re-education, forced labour, torture and forced sterilization.

It was 266 out of 338 – not bad, not bad at all.

But, wait. Is it really?

Everyone in attendance voted for it. There were zero votes against. Well, that doesn’t add up to 338.

Where are the other 72 votes?

Where indeed. No one seems to know. Justin Trudeau did not show up. I repeat, the leader of Canada did not show up for the vote. In fact, most of his cabinet failed to show up. However, Foreign Affairs Minister Marc Garneau attended. That’s fitting, considering he is the foreign affairs minister, and this vote involves foreign affairs.

So, he stood up proud and… abstained, saying he did so “on behalf of Canada.”

So, if you think this vote will result in action, you have another thought coming.

When the leader and his cabinet cannot even be bothered to show up for the vote, you can bet your bottom dollar there will be no action upon it.

This motion also had a part to have Canada pressure the International Olympic Committee to move the 2022 Winter Olympics out of Beijing. The Chinese Ambassador, Cong Peiwu, spoke out against the vote, saying it is meddling in China’s internal affairs.

Of course our government was not there to speak against Peiwu, or even set a meeting to form a plan of action. They were not even there to set a meeting to discuss when they can have a meeting to think about a plan of action.

I truly believe our athletes should be able to attend and compete, they earned it.

China would not care one iota. They would not care because that would just mean more medals for China. So, relocating the Olympics would be a great idea, a positive solution for a terrible situation, and if China boycotted the move, more medals for us.

China is committing genocide, China is hosting the Olympics, and nothing will be done about it.

I will cheer and I will watch. Go Canadian athletes go!

At the same time I feel shame in our leader, who could not be bothered to care.

Kenton Shilka has been an active community member for 23 years and counting. His column, Another Thought Coming, will run each Tuesday.