Several nations have long decided not to use Huawei equipment for the coming 5G networks due to alleged security concerns. Although a member of both NATO and the Five Eyes security network, Canada’s Trudeau government has put off a decision for the past two years.
Yesterday a motion in Parliament by the opposition Conservatives and supported by other opposition parties outvoted Liberal members and will oblige the Justin Trudeau government to make a decision within 30 days.
Conservative leader Erin O’Toole at a news conference on Tuesday prior to presenting the opposition motion in Pariiament. In his speech he said, “The rise of Huawei was itself facilitated by years of industrial espionage conducted by China against Nortel (…i intellectual property theft, counterfeiting, and digital piracy are not the exceptions to our dealings with China, they are the reality”(CPAC)
The motion also calls on the government to develop plans to counter Chinese intimidation of Canadians in this country, citing Australia’s tough measures as an example.
Although the motion imposes a theoretical deadline, it is not binding on the government to follow through.
A spokesperson for the Liberal government said they couldn’t support the motion for a decision on Huawei within the time frame as they were still studying the issue
Speaking on the motion on Tuesday, Conservative leader Erin O’Toole said Chinese influence and intimidation efforts were a key threat to Canada, noting that the current approach to China hasn’t worked and the situation has worsened in recent years.
Liberal Foreign Affairs Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne said on Tuesday in the House of Commons that and intimidation “would not be tolerated’ and that the federal Royal Canadian Mounted Police would investigate such cases.
Additional information-sources
- NetNews Ledger: Nov 17/20: Erin O’Toole, “We call on the government to finally grow a spine”
- Canadian Press (CBC): Nov 18/20: Parliament passes Conservative motion to demand government decision on Huawei and 5G (+ i/v with former Australian PM MalcolmTurnbull on Huawei)
- Reuters (Al Jazeera): Nov 18/20: Canadian opposition: Trudeau must ‘grow a spine’, ban Huawei 5G
- Global News: A Connolly: Nov 18/20: Tory motion for action on Huawei plan to combat Chinese aggression passes
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