(Ottawa) Former Olympic kayaker Adam van Koeverden, who served as Canada’s flag bearer at the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics before entering the political arena, disagrees with a boycott of the Games that s ‘open in two months in China.
The Liberal MP leaves it to politicians to determine whether Canada and its allies should opt for a diplomatic boycott to send the Xi Jinping regime the message that the genocide being perpetrated against the Uyghurs – which the House of Commons has recognized as being existence last February – is unacceptable.
But sending athletes there sheds light on what is happening in the country, and could improve the situation, he believes. “In 2008, we wondered if shining the spotlight on China as a country could lead to positive change. And I think it is. We are talking about it at the moment, ”he argued.
“The genocide is a reality, but the Olympics always shed a brighter light on the issues around the world […] This light is a first step, in my opinion, ”added the Olympic medalist as he left the weekly Liberal caucus meeting on Wednesday.
And moreover, “our athletes are not diplomatic pawns”; they are “supposed to be apolitical”, insisted Mr. van Koeverden, according to whom the solution to the problems which shake China passes through other levers such as trade, for example. He therefore disagrees with those who argue that China, in fact, is instrumental in using athletes for political ends.
This is the case of the Bloc member Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe, who failed on Tuesday to pass a motion calling in particular for the postponement of the Games for one year, until 2023, the time to allow an international observation mission to surrender. in Xinjiang to document the situation.
The Liberals refused to give their consent to the tabling of this motion, to the chagrin of the elected Bloc member. The latter even went so far as to accuse the liberals of being “accomplices” in the genocide.
“Alexis and I went for a beer yesterday [mardi] evening, and we had a long conversation […] and what we have agreed on is that it is possible to encourage our athletes, to support Team Canada, and at the same time to be extremely concerned about what is happening in China in terms of human rights, ”concluded the MP for Milton, Ont.
The decision “has not yet been made”
The Canadian government has not yet determined whether it is tempted to emulate the United States, where President Joe Biden is considering a diplomatic boycott of the event.
When she arrived in parliament for the caucus meeting, the Minister of Sports, Pascale St-Onge, simply said that “the decision has not yet been taken”, that we are “still in discussion with les allies ”and that the government respect“ the independence of the Canadian Olympic and Paralympic Committees ”.