The Canadian government has developed an incredible talent for talking out of both sides of its mouth. While cracking down on peaceful protesters with both slanderous rhetoric and draconian physical and financial measures, government officials are running around condemning the actions of other governments against their protesters.
On Friday, my PJ Media colleague Athena Thorne wrote about how Canada’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Marc Garneau, released a statement last year expressing concerns about China’s treatment of Hong Kong protesters.
“Canada expresses grave concerns over the targeting of ten of Hong Kong’s most prominent pro-democracy activists for participation in a peaceful assembly,” the statement read. “The stifling of peaceful political expression continues to encroach on fundamental rights and freedoms in Hong Kong. Democracy, freedom of speech and freedom of assembly are enshrined in the Basic Law, and are part of Beijing’s obligations to the people of Hong Kong under the UN-registered Sino-British Joint Declaration.”
But it gets better.
Just this week, Canada’s foreign ministry tweeted its displeasure at Cuba’s harsh sentencing of protesters.
“Canada condemns #Cuba’s harsh sentencing following the July 2021 protests. 🇨🇦 strongly advocates for freedom of expression and the right to peaceful assembly free from intimidation. We stand with the people of 🇨🇺 in their aspiration for #democracy,” the tweet read.
Maybe the Cubans should’ve just run over their protesters with horses like Canada has done.
Naturally, the tweet has brought out the masters of snark (including some names PJ Media readers will recognize) who see the irony and hypocrisy of Canada attempting to stand for human rights.
Painful irony.
The Canadian Government should end mandates immediately and stop arresting protestors.
The Canadian people should demand that Trudeau is removed immediately and stop electing authoritarians. #TrudeauTyranny https://t.co/EM7Vexvfrs
— Libertarian Party (@LPNational) February 19, 2022
The complete lack of awareness is pretty stunning. https://t.co/qgyAqyn3c9
— Stacey – Gen X – The Sleeper Generation (@ScotsFyre) February 18, 2022
A new parody account. https://t.co/jqFzfcLPFv
— Soulworks (@soulworks2017) February 18, 2022
Would you have been okay with it if the Cubans had merely run over the protesters with horses? https://t.co/pfUiLJG9mu
— Chris Queen (@ChrisQueen) February 19, 2022
“The Canadian government has typically avoided criticizing the Cuban regime due to its close business ties with the island nation, especially in nickel mining,” Rebel News points out. “Unlike the United States, Canada does not have an embargo on Cuba, and Canadian citizens are allowed to travel freely to the country.”
Recommended: FLASHBACK: Authoritarianism Is a Trudeau Family Tradition
Cuba has imprisoned hundreds of protesters, including teenagers, for their roles in anti-government rallies during the summer of 2021. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has also tweeted calls to free Cuban activists.
Seven months after peacefully standing up for human rights and fundamental freedoms, @LMOAlcantara awaits a trial that never seems to come. His family fears for his life as his health declines–we call on the Cuban government to release Luis and all those unjustly detained.
— Secretary Antony Blinken (@SecBlinken) February 16, 2022
The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) has also petitioned Cuba to “release all people being deprived of their freedom for participating in the protests, including both adolescents and adults, and to cease the practice of harassment and arrests in response to social protest or other related rights.”
“But the [Cuban] government has said prosecutors have acted within the law, and top government officials have praised their work,” the Miami Herald reports.
Cuba is a communist regime, so these kinds of crackdowns are par for the course. The strange irony in all of this is that Canada has a parliamentary government that at least on paper is accountable to its citizens, which makes Trudeau’s tyranny against the Freedom Convoy look out of character for the kind of nation that Canada is supposed to be. (Where’s Alanis Morrissette when you really need her?)
Maybe Canadian government officials need to keep their mouths shut about other nations’ poor treatment of protesters when they’re freezing bank accounts and running over peaceful demonstrators with horses.
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