Charles Burton, Associate Professor of Political Science at Brock, has written a piece recently published in the Ottawa Citizen about secrecy surrounding Canada’s trade talks with China.

Burton writes:

As Canadians digest a stream of statements and punditry around the upcoming NAFTA negotiations, another discourse — possibly more consequential for our future — is being planned in comparative silence.

The second China-Canada Foreign Ministers Dialogue was held in Beijing last week, Canada’s Chrystia Freeland sitting down with her counterpart Wang Yi to “explore ways to further consolidate Canada-China ties,” as Xinhua news agency put it. Upcoming Canada-China trade talks would have topped the agenda.

But despite anxiety across Canada over China’s demands in any new deal, and what is really at stake, we know little about what was even discussed. Freeland flew home with no post-meeting press conference held, no communiqué issued.

Given the shocking spectacle that crowned last year’s edition of this dialogue – remember Wang’s think-skinned, arrogant berating of a Canadian journalist who asked about China’s human rights record? – many will suspect the secrecy is Beijing’s precondition to any further talks.

Continue reading the full article here.