National Post editorial board: Baird shouldn’t refer to China as an ‘ally’

The selection of John Baird to be Canada’s new Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade was a good one. Mr. Baird is a poised speaker, a trusted confidante of the Prime Minister and one of the Tories’ best Cabinet ministers. The Foreign Affairs post warrants nothing less, and is a better use of the very real talent of Mr. Baird, who spent much of the last few years serving as a Tory attack dog in a fractious minority parliament.

Unfortunately, his performance thus far shows room for improvement. Visiting China last week for a four-day visit, Mr. Baird made the odd misstep of referring to China as “an important ally.” This goes beyond the usual niceties that diplomats exchange. Mr. Baird ought to be more selective in whom he chooses to invest that title.

The relationship between China and Canada is important, and will only become more so as China’s economic and military strength grows. But our common economic interests — and the demands of decorum — do not warrant declaring China an ally. China’s human rights record remains troubling, and it continues to provide material support to rogue regimes around the world, most especially in North Korea. China clearly values its own political interests above all else. That is its right. But Canada should not feel obligated to defend China’s choices when they run contrary to our principles.

Put simply, until Beijing improves its rights record and becomes a more co-operative partner in the pursuit of international stability, it does not warrant the same diplomatic recognition Canada bestows on nations that share our values and aims, such as the United States, Britain and France.

Of course, it is possible that Mr. Baird simply misspoke. Pressed by reporters to explain his remarks, Mr. Baird pointed out that Canada is allied with other nations with troubling incidents in their pasts, including Russia. Unfortunately for Mr. Baird, not only is Russia as troublesome as China, it has also been cited by the Harper government as a nation whose prowling in our Arctic airspace justifies spending billions on new F-35 jet fighters — a wasted expense, if Russia, too, is an ally.

We hope that Mr. Baird takes this opportunity to reflect on what countries Canada wishes to align itself with, and in future, realizes that our nation’s top diplomat must speak with greater care than a partisan political operative.

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Source: National Post