‘Ten days ago, Canada’s parliament passed a non-binding motion condemning China’s treatment of the Uyghur Muslims in Xinjian as genocide. Trudeau and most of his cabinet abstained from the vote.’

             ‘While Justin Trudeau has made statements in support of Uyghur rights, his government is not allowing three former Uyghur Guantanamo Bay detainees to settle in Canada, where their families now live,’ Camp said.

            ‘Many Liberals did vote to support the genocide motion, but any subsequent commitment to assisting Uyghur refugees or taking actions against the CCP appear elusive,’ Camp added.’ While Sweden has recognized that all Uyghurs are facing collective persecution in China, Canada’s refugee bureaucracy keeps putting up unnecessary and painful barriers for Uyghurs seeking asylum.’

            ‘Remember the ‘Peaceful Liberation of Tibet’ by the Chinese government in 1950?’ I said.’ Re-educate, re-populate, prohibit their religion and culture. The world protested but nothing changed and now Tibet is a part of China.’

            We paused, holding onto our beers.

            ‘Looks like we both need a haircut Camp. You look like Einstein and I start to look like Albrecht Dürer, the German renaissance painter.’

            ‘Talk about hair,’ Camp said, ‘Mehmet Tohti, executive director of the Uyghur Rights Advocacy Project, described in chilling details, the Chinese export of massive amount of hair, and asked MPs on the International Human Rights committee to visualize 13 tonnes of human hair. It takes more than 300,000 Uyghur women’s hair to make 13 tonnes.’

            ‘Sounds like something the Nazis did in the concentration camps.’

            ‘On top of all that, the Nankai study, uncovered and published by the BBC and Globe and Mail clearly cites: mass-labour transfers, re-education and reducing population density of the Uyghurs.’

            ‘There is also the Belt and Road Initiative,’ I said. ‘It’s a multi-trillion-dollar project linking Beijing with some 70 countries around the world via railroads, gas pipelines, shipping lanes, and other infrastructure projects. It is Xi Jinping’s pet project.’        

            ‘Yes, and two-thirds of those trade routes run through the traditional Uyghur territories of Xinjiang province. Go figure. You can read the whole article on https://rabble.ca.’ 

            ‘What about the two Michaels, detained in apparent retaliation for Canada’s arrest and detention of Meng Wanzhou, as a favour for the US. She is being held under Canada’s highly problematic Extradition Act, a piece of legislation that fails to meet the basic principles of fundamental justice,’ I said.

            ‘Trudeau has treated the incarceration of the two Michaels as a hypocritical opportunity for condescending statements on the rule of law to the Chinese, while at the same time claiming he has no right to interfere in the judicial process,’ Camp said.

            ‘They should just trade Wanzhou for the two Michaels in a secret service swap,’ I said, ‘no fanfare, no media. Just a simple exchange.’

            ‘You mean like in a John Le Carré novel? You really are in dreamland sometimes.’

            We both finished our beers and Vicky was already with two fresh ones. 

            ‘Camp did you get your mobile BC Services Card? Apparently, you’ll need it to get your covid vaccination. Took Clare and me half an hour to figure it out.’

            ‘Not yet but I guess I’ll have to. What are people who are not smart phone or computer savvy going to do?’

            ‘Well here is what my buddy Hank said: ‘I don’t have a smart phone and don’t know how to use a computer. I’m old but I’m very social and I lost my mask at the liquor store. I have my friend at the legion type this for me. Hope my cold doesn’t get any worse. What do I do? Bottoms up. Hank.’