Cabinet to decide on possible Games boycott
Updated Mon. Apr. 7 2008 11:10 PM ET
CTV.ca News Staff
[b]As protests continue to disrupt the Olympic torch’s journey towards Beijing, Canada’s Defence Minister Peter MacKay said the Conservative government has not yet decided on a potential boycott of the Beijing Olympics.
Speaking to reporters on Monday, MacKay said the issue is likely to be discussed at the cabinet table and no decision will be made until that happens. [/b]
“Without having the discussion we can’t rule anything out, so were not at that point,” he said.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper has said he has no plans to attend the opening ceremonies of the Summer Games but he has stressed his decision is a personal one.
On Monday, activists clashed with police in Paris where the torch relay made a scheduled appearance. One day earlier demonstrators in London disrupted the torch relay when it made a stop in that city.
Much of the torch’s 137,000-kilometre journey to Beijing could be hindered by the demonstrations, most in protest of China’s human rights record and a recent crackdown on Tibetans.
The Canadian Olympic Committee issued a statement on Monday, saying its focus is on “the preparation and performance of our athletes.”
“We recognize that the global reach of the Olympic Games often illuminates non-sports-related issues that spark deeply felt passions,” said the statement from President Michael Chambers and Chief Executive Officer Chris Rudge.
“However, it is not the role or jurisdiction of the COC, as a National Olympic Committee, to engage itself in issues that concern sovereign matters.”
The COC statement goes on to say that the organization respects freedom of expression and believes that the presence of the Olympic Games in a country is a force for positive change.
CTV’s Senior Olympic Host Brian Williams said the recent protests come as no surprise. He has covered 12 Olympic Games, including Moscow in 2001 when China was named as this year’s host city.
“At the time we all said this is a recipe for mass demonstrations, given the human rights record of that country,” Williams told CTV’s Mike Duffy Live on Monday.
“The International Olympic Committee though maintained that by giving China the summer Olympics in this year, 2008, they would advance the cause of human rights in that country.”
Toronto had also bid for the 2008 Games but lost out to Beijing. Williams pointed out that while the protests are disruptive, they are bringing attention to an issue that wouldn’t be in the spotlight if Toronto had won the contest.
Williams said he is against Olympic boycotts, and said the athletes shouldn’t be made to suffer for the actions of a sovereign country.
“My feeling is this,” Williams said. “Young men and women, whether in our country or around the world, that sacrifice so much for their one moment in the sun, they should not have the problems in China put on their shoulders only.”
Some international leaders have added their voices to those speaking out against China’s human rights record.
Several high-ranking German officials have said they will not attend the opening ceremonies and IOC boss Jacques Rogge has called for a peaceful resolution to the conflict with Tibet.
French President Nicholas Sarkozy said last week he wouldn’t rule out the possibility of boycotting the opening ceremonies.
MacKay said it’s clear the world is making a statement about China’s human rights record.
“It’s undeniable,” he said. “It’s impossible to not see the reaction that’s occurring around the Olympics. It has become a forum for expression for people and their concern for what is happening in China.”
David Kilgour, an international human rights lawyer and former MP who once served as co-chair of the Parliamentary Friends of Tibet, said the IOC made a “terrible” mistake by awarding the Games to China, based on the country’s human rights record.
[b]
However, he agreed with Williams that a full boycott of the Olympics would primarily punish the athletes, and said a boycott of the opening ceremonies would be a more reasonable option.
“I think a partial boycott – if people of principal, governments of principal, would say ‘we won’t go for the opening exercise but we won’t deny our athletes the chance to compete,’ that might be good.” [/b]
Comments are now closed for this story
Bill
If the Government wants to boycott the games that is OK but the athletes who have been preparing for years should be allowed to carry on and compete if they so choose.
JP Levesque
For all those young men and women who have trained and are looking forward to the Olympics, they must be allowed to attend. We must SPEAK NOW- about China and Tibet and not wait till Olympics are abou to start .A boycott of the Olympics would primarily punish the athletes. The governmnet of Canada must act now and express its dislike and discord on what is happening in Tibet.
Would we want this to happen in 2010 in Vancouver?
Jen Mik
The games should not be boycotted. The athletes that participate in the games should not be the target. Governments are the ones that should be targeted with protests.
niceguy
Should other countries boycott the next Olympics in Canada because of Quebec?
eric bolland
A partial boycott by non athletes would send a message ,a product boycott would have greater benefit. Banning athletes from what is a political struggle would be a mistake and not the Dalai Lama’s wish. Mr.Harper please do not travel the road of Full Athlete boycott.
John T
Hmm, Canada bids on the olympics and loses out to China…and then boycotts the games.
That would sure look bad, like we’re a bunch of whiney sore losers.
Sympathetic as I am to Tibet, I can’t believe that Cabinet would even bring this up. It is seldom that I agree with Harper, but this is a personal decision, and the politicians should stay the heck out of it.
Boycott the Olymoics out of Principle!.
“In as much as you do it through someone else you do it yourself…”
…and along that line of thinking I think that China needs to recognize that Canada and the world will not and cannot condone China’s wicked abuses of it’s people (ie organ harvesting from live prisoners etc) and other human rights abuses.
Boycotting the Olympics is perhaps the only and best way to highlight what China is doing and to bring world’s attention to the need for China to change her ways.
The world wants China to change and to change NOW.
Happy Canadian
Boycott the opening and closing ceremonies. Do not participate in any event that is not athletic.
Television broadcasters should restrict their shows to athletic events only, no local colour or government approved special interests.
I’d suggest not watching or even letting advertisers know of your displeasure but that just hits the broadcaster, not the IOC or China.
Let China hold the games, just don’t participate in anything but the athletics.
Really, really stupid move giving this to such a country.
Mike
Do you really think China would care if we boycott the opening ceremony. The only way you might make them think of there actions is by not trading with them, but we are to deep into them for that. I do not think we should let our athletes who have trained so hard to get to the olympics be used as leverage for any political reasons. Let the athletes do what they do best, they worked hard for it.
Darren McEwen
Why didn’t countries like Canada, Germany, UK, France and the U.S. plan a boycott YEARS ago when China won the rights to host the Olympics. Now they’re just scaring our young athletes and Canada not attending the Olympics would do little to harm China.
It’s too late to boycott. We always knew China violated human rights so we should have planned this years ago and it would have been more effective. Just boycott the opening ceremonies or wear Free Tibet shirts or something.
Give me a break.
Instead of boycotting the games, boycott Chinese goods.
Boycotting the games is just an illusion of having a hard line and sends no message.
David, L
Comparing Quebec with Tibet is ridiculous. British Colonials conquered a French COLONY when they would not have hesitated to do the same whereas China conquered a SOVEREIGN Tibet in 1949 which was a highly unacceptable time.
Also Canada grants many concessions to Quebec such as recognizing them as a nation. There have been multiple referendums on whether Quebec wants to seperate or not which definitely not the case in Tibet.
Lee
A full games boycott is not warranted in this case but it would be a great opportunity to send China a strong message that their activities in Sudan and Tibet and unacceptable by not allowing any public figures such as MP’s, Senators and the normal contingent of freeloaders to attend and the athlets should not be allowed to participate in the opening or closing ceremonies but must be allowed to compete.
Hu
The Olympics are about Sport and from their beginning were above politics. We should respect that principle.
Thomas Chan
Canada historically has never been a big winner in Olympic Medals. Even it’s big brother U.S., dares not to boycott due largely to worrying on China will gain most the Medals and consumes the 1st place in Medal winnings ranking. Canada’s role on this issue is a follower, not a leader. Canada can reflect opinions but not to boycott. I am against to put any type of violence during the protests against the Olympics. The slogan: One World, One Dream; is only a ideology and it’s not praticable in a political and realistic world.
Kevin
I believe that every government that places the value of human life above the state should completely boycott all ceremonies and functions connected to these games. I think they should let their athletes know that they understand how hard they have worked to reach the Olympics but should they choose to sit these games out due to a moral objection then they will face no reprimands from sponsors or with-holding of gov’t grants and funds for further training. The fact of the matter is that China should never have been granted the honor of holding the games in the first place and every person who values freedom and human life knows it. For the first time in my life I will not even watch the games though in my heart I will be cheering every Canadian athlete on to victory.
B. Lang
If our Government really wants to make a statement than Boycott all trade with China, instead of contemplating the hypocritical Olympic boycott that does nothing more than punish the athletes.
Ian
Protests do absolutely nothing. The only way to make them stand up and take notice is to boycott. Yes it would be tough on the athletes but why are we making this out to be about a bunch of athletes instead of the people of Tibet who are being abused. They could care less about the athletes or the Olympics.
Rich
How does a boycott of politicians sent to the Games on the taxpayers dime infringe upon the athletes or the competition? People read and listen a little more carefully to what critics are saying.
Ken
Politics and sports are like relgion and poltics they dont mix. dont boycot the olymipics , boycot the products they make that will make a point more then a boycot
Roger
Right Boycott goods from china, people would have nothing buy as it all from China. Take a look when your in the store the next time.
A COMPLETE BOYCOTT
China should NEVER have received the Olympic games. The IOC was very wrong to grant the games to a country that systematically tortures and eliminates it’s own people. Was the IOC bribed? It’s fine to say this is for the athletes but at what cost to human life and suffering do we continue to turn a blind eye?
I support a complete boycott and perhaps we could stage alternate games without all the fancy stadiums and venues and get back to the basics of sport for sports sake.
drummer
The IOC made a grave error giving the games to China. They have agreed with China’s oppresive policies. This is the same body that will not allow women ski jumpers to compete in Vancouver.
The IOC is a very political body
Paul Brooke
I don’t want to see an Olympic boycott, but the world must not let the Games overshadow the brutal oppression of Tibet. This has been going on since 1950. China is using its enormous economic power to intimidate the world, and almost everyone is afraid to step on China’s toes.
KMD
This is so not about the athletes, I agree they have trained hard, but come on the people of Tibet deserve better than this. It is about them. And it is about time we stop letting China bully and control the world. This will not happen in vancouver because we s Canadians are not trying to control a country that wants to be free…China is. China infact is doing it to more than one country~
Frank
Leave the athletes out of it. If you want to protest against China quit shopping at Walmart and the dollar store
Data
To think boycotting the game would change China is a naive thought. China has changed so much in the past 10 years, people in China are now able to put food on their table, which had not been the case for thousand of years. Look at it now, by being open and engaging, China is much more progressive than ever before. China is also actively assisting the third world in Africa, building roads and infrastructures. How much are we aware of that? Boycotting the game is aliening China and pushes China back into isolation. Can we afford that? By embarrassing the Chinese government, what do you think would happen to Tibet? More iron fist approach or most democracy? Influence with respect is the best approach. People who think or suggest confrontation just don’t understand their culture nor their history.
Russ
Granting China the Olympics is like adding fuel to the fire. The OIC had prior knowledge of the situation in China regarding human rights and the current situation in Tibet. Having said that, Tibet is in a unique situation to put pressure on the Chinese government and bring their plight to the world stage.
Kevin
Dear niceguy:
Lets be honest. The “situation” of Quebec is NOTHING like that in Tibet. I cannot believe you would even make such a comparison. If the government decides that boycotting the Olympics is the best way to support a free Tibet, I stand behind them. The freedom of a group of peoples is more important than any athlete winning a medal.
hollinm
For heads of government to boycott the opening ceremonies to show their displeasure is fine. However, a full out boycott is not fair to the athletes who have worked tirelessly to hone their skills.
Leo
It won’t happen unless Bush change his mind…
It’s monkey see Monkey do…
PH
I would love to see a Boycott. The Chinese government does not deserve the Olympics. It is too bad for the Chinese people though.
Leo
It would be wrong and careless of Canada to boycott the games. Our young men and women deserve to participate after trainning for several years with money suplied to them by tax dollars…
We have to let them particpate and compete it’s good for them and the world’s youth…
Beside China owns most of Canada including the tar sands in Alberta.
Roger S
the boycott will only hurt atheletes and Chinese people but won’t change Chinese government. The current violent protests against Torch replay served no good will but hurt the Olympics.
Sean
Why can’t we leave politics out of the Olympic Games?
rt
YES,YES,YES. Boycott the Olympics, and their goods. Shame on them!
Cosmopolitan
How about boycotting the Winter Olympic in Vancouver because of Canada’s involvement in invading and occupying Afghanistan? There are also other human rights issues in this country but it’s easier for some Canadians to ignore our own shortages and instead prefer bashing and lecturing on other country’s affairs. What a hypocrisy!
KD
Boycott Boycott Boycott.
The olympics is a waste of money and valuable TV time. As for China, stop giving them money
Logan
I strongly believe Canada should boycott the Olympics and keep all politicians and athletes away from China.
It’s daft of the IOC to have ever allowed China host the Olympics in the first place.
Kevin
it should not be boycotted!! What happened to our Canadian Athletes? it is just NOT FAIR to them… They have been practiced for 4 years just for this big event… I can’t believe that government would consider that… i think the responsibility of our government should be talking to chinese government…
Boycotting on olympic just doesn’t work… they should go figure out another way…)
David in Ontario
I say “do not boycott the games”. With the Olympics there in China, so is the world press. Information on Tibet and other Chinese problems would surface.
To protest, I would suggest that we all boycott things made in China. Dollar stores would go out of business, but ask yourself: what would YOU do. If we boycott the games, then all of our athletes lose out, not us: we just have to flip the channel to get our dose of entertainment.
Jeff
Every time I read the comments on a Tibet-China related issue, someone always feels the need to compare it to Canada-Quebec. It’s apples and oranges, and speaks volumes on that individuals lack of understanding of China’s human rights record.