Everyone in the Conservative Party, from the grassroots members, to the leadership candidates, to our entire caucus recognizes that our relationship with the Government of China needs to fundamentally change.

And it's easy to see why. China's crackdown on democratic process in Hong Kong, and the continued detainment of the two Michaels should be reason enough to be rightly angry.

Everyone in the Conservative Party, from the grassroots members, to the leadership candidates, to our entire caucus recognizes that our relationship with the Government of China needs to fundamentally change.

And it's easy to see why. China's crackdown on democratic process in Hong Kong, and the continued detainment of the two Michaels should be reason enough to be rightly angry.

This will be a sharp point of disagreement with the Liberals in the next election, who seem pretty comfortable fighting for the status quo, even if it goes against Canada’s interests.

But what impact on China are we really going to have by simply being angry with them?

I condemn the self-serving misinformation that China spread, allowing the COVID-19 crisis to spread in order to protect their economic and political gains. 

And I would certainly block Huawei from having any role in building our 5G network. It is unbelievable to me that the Liberals are still indicating they may ignore all security recommendations and allow them to be a part of this vital network.

But my goal is not to simply make sure that China knows we are angry with their government: it is to ensure that we as a nation are never in the position where we are vulnerable to the Communist Party of China’s lies and influence ever again.

But I am also aware that part of the blame lies with Canada, and this Liberal government who weakened our resource sector and increased our dependence on a country who did not have our best interests at heart.

The question is not “how do we take revenge on the Chinese government?” Rather, it’s “how do we strengthen Canada so that China no longer has so much influence on us?”

I want to build a country that is beholden to no other nation.

Canada is rich in resources and yet we have a trade deficit with far too many countries.

It should be Canada whose energy, supplies, manufacturing capabilities and essential products are the envy of the world.

How are we in any position to hold other nations to account when we can’t manage our own natural resources?

Why do we allow foreign interference to attack our energy sector, and the U.N. to set our border policies? Why does this government seem willing to sell out Canadian interests in the pursuit of a UN Security Council seat? 

We need to put Canada’s interests first.

The best way to “send a message” to China, would be to no longer need them.