Canadian universities: The Canadian democracy under Justin Trudeau has been one which, to paraphrase Abraham Lincoln’s famous adage, of the Chinese Communist Party, by the Chinese Communist Party and for the Chinese Communist Party. Despite the fact that Canadians have numerous reasons to dislike and fear China, their prime minister appears to have a childlike faith in the country. Canada today has almost become analogous to a vassal state of China.
According to reports, Canadian universities have for years collaborated with a top Chinese army scientific institution on hundreds of advanced-technology research projects, generating knowledge that can help drive China’s defence sector in cutting-edge, high-tech industries.
Researchers at 50 Canadian universities, including the University of Waterloo, University of Toronto, University of British Columbia and McGill University, have conducted and published joint scientific papers from 2005 to 2022 with scientists connected to China’s military, according to research by U.S. strategic intelligence company Strider Technologies Inc.
Strider found that in the past five years, academics at 10 of leading Canadian universities published more than 240 joint papers on topics included quantum cryptography, photonics and space science with Chinese military scientists at the National University of Defence Technology (NUDT). Some of these NUDT researchers are experts in missile performance and guidance systems, mobile robotics and automated surveillance.
The Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) has even warned that Beijing is increasingly using joint academic research programs to obtain innovative science and technology for economic and military advantage.
NUDT was blacklisted by the United States in 2015 – subject to export restrictions – under former U.S. president Barack Obama’s administration because Washington believes it “is involved, or poses a significant risk of being or becoming involved in activities that are contrary to the national-security or foreign-policy interests of the United States.”
NUDT reports to the Chinese Communist Party’s Central Military Commission and has been lauded by President Xi Jinping as a “highland for training high-quality new military personnel and for independent innovation in national defence technology.”
Along with public Canadian universities, the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC), a federal funding agency, has been contributing to projects conducted with Chinese military scientists.
Among the collaborations on quantum technology is research jointly funded by the China, Russian and Canadian governments that used lasers to try to hack quantum cryptographic systems, a cutting-edge method of secure communications that could benefit the PLA.
Simply put, China is using bright Canadian brains to strengthen its own military and hence gain a tactical advantage in the great power rivalry between Beijing and the US-led Western bloc.
As expected, China-lover Trudeau has taken no steps to discourage Canadian colleges from partnering with China. None of the Top 10 universities engaging in projects with NUDT, the People’s Liberation Army’s premier scientific institution, has committed to prohibiting their researchers from conducting additional research with the university. Ottawa has not ordered them to cease working with Chinese military scientists. Nothing would ever change until the government takes action.
Trudeau lacks the chutzpah to criticise China in public. He and his entire cabinet went as far as abstaining from voting on a motion in the Canadian Parliament titled, “Uighurs in China have been and are being subject to genocide”. In reality, he continues to work with China despite the fact that it repeatedly connives and blackmails Canada. The federal liberals even awarded an RCMP tech contract to a China-linked company which is banned in the US.
Trudeau did not even attempt to confront the rogue Chinese regime after significant provocations. For instance, China dubbed Canada the “running dog of the United States,” but Trudeau made no effort to retort. Furthermore, we all witnessed Xi Jinping demeaning Trudeau in public. Canada’s national interests may be jeopardised as a result of Trudeau’s affection for China. But alas, when has Trudeau ever demonstrated solid strategic policymaking?
