QUESTION PERIOD — Global Affairs
Human Rights
March 11, 2026
Senator Moreau, as the Prime Minister continues to travel internationally, deepening ties with states that have troubling human rights records, critics warn that Canada’s foreign policy is becoming purely transactional, trading away its long-standing principled positions.
Is your government willing to admit that Canada is now treating human rights as negotiable and subordinate to economic and strategic interests?
The government remains committed to engaging with China, for instance, in a manner that is consistent with Canada’s values, interests and international obligations, as the government is doing with every country that they are engaging in trade discussions with.
Those discussions are needed because, as you know very well, the U.S. has changed their trading partnership, and it’s important for the Canadian government and Canadian families that Canada diversify its trading partnerships throughout the world to ensure that we can create jobs, maintain a strong economy and guarantee that we are doing what is good for Canadians. Now, that doesn’t mean that we are negating our values.
Senator Moreau, how does your government reconcile this shift with Canada’s historic role as a global defender of human rights? I wasn’t specifically talking about China. There are other countries Canada is negotiating with that have a troubling human rights record.
Particularly in light of the efforts to deepen trade and security ties with countries where civil liberties are under threat, can Canadians be assured that economic priorities will never override our moral obligations?
The short answer is yes, Senator Ataullahjan. However, let me remind you that, so far, the Prime Minister has signed 13 new strategic agreements, opening up the potential for 2.2 billion new customers for Canadian businesses, with Ecuador, Indonesia, the European Union, Germany, China, Japan and India.
