Are Canada and the United States Simply Not Gutsy Enough To Free the 2 Michaels?

287

April 9, 2021

Published in Le Devoir
(Canada) on 29 March 2021
by Fred Bild (link to original link to original)

Translated from by Mollie Lippett. Edited by Olivia Parker.

What is missing from the media coverage of the drama of the two Michaels are new ideas to resolve the dilemma in which three countries (Canada, the United States and China) have reached a deadlock. There is a sense that the Canadian government is powerless to respond to the gangsterism of the Chinese authorities, and that our almost religious adherence to the idea of the rule of law prevents us from even considering negotiation with the hostage-takers who are imprisoning our citizens.

Our hesitation, at present, seems to constrain our American friends in the same way. Still suffering from the trauma of Jan. 6 caused by the direct insult to the rule of law by the rioters on Capitol Hill, they feel equally handicapped in their freedom to act. This leads us to wonder what is left of the unbreakable bonds between democratic countries.

There is no shortage of published legal opinions on the inherent flexibility in our extradition treaty, nor of strong statements by both governments about how highly they are prioritizing the release of the two Canadians.

We assume that Washington and Ottawa have carefully considered all possible options. Unfortunately, nowhere do I find the suggestion that the two governments are giving firm instructions to their respective judicial authorities (the Canadian minister of justice and the U.S. attorney general) to work together until they find a legally sound way out of this impasse.

Is it simply that neither side of the border is gutsy enough?

Ce qui manque dans la couverture médiatique du drame des deux Michael, ce sont des idées nouvelles pour résoudre le dilemme dans lequel trois pays (le Canada, les États-Unis et la Chine) se sont mutuellement enfermés. On a l’impression que le gouvernement canadien se trouve sans moyens pour réagir aux actions de gangstérisme de la part des autorités chinoises. Et que notre adhésion quasi religieuse à l’idée de l’État de droit nous empêche de même envisager une négociation avec les preneurs d’otages qui détiennent nos citoyens.

Nos hésitations, à présent, semblent de surcroît circonscrire nos amis américains de la même façon. Ceux-ci, encore sous le traumatisme des événements du 6 janvier posés par l’affront direct à l’État de droit par les manifestants au Capitole se sentent tout aussi handicapés dans leur liberté d’action. On se demande ce qu’il reste des liens inébranlables entre pays démocratiques.

Les opinions juridiques publiées sur la flexibilité inhérente dans notre traité d’extradition ne manquent pas, ni les déclarations vigoureuses des deux gouvernements sur la grande priorité qu’ils attachent à la libération des deux Canadiens.

On tient pour acquis que Washington et Ottawa ont examiné avec soin toutes les solutions possibles. Malheureusement, je ne trouve nulle part la suggestion que les deux gouvernements donnent les instructions fermes à leurs autorités judiciaires respectives (le ministre de la Justice canadien et l’Attorney General des États-Unis) de travailler ensemble jusqu’à ce qu’ils trouvent une sortie de l’impasse juridiquement valable.

S’agit-il simplement d’un manque de cran des deux côtés de la frontière ?

This post appeared on the front page as a direct link to the original article with the above link .

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