Canada’s top diplomat says China is flouting its international obligations with its latest move to quash dissent in Hong Kong.
Earlier this week, China’s central government granted Hong Kong’s government special authority to remove members of its Legislative Council who are deemed insufficiently loyal to Beijing because of their support for Hong Kong independence or their refusal to recognize China’s sovereignty over the region.
Hong Kong’s pro-Beijing government, led by Chief Executive Carrie Lam, promptly used the new powers to disqualify four pro-democracy legislators who had previously called for foreign governments to impose sanctions on Hong Kong and China.
In response to the removal of their colleagues, Hong Kong’s 15 remaining pro-democracy lawmakers said they would resign in protest, effectively giving pro-Beijing forces free reign in the city’s legislature.
Foreign Affairs Minister François-Philippe Champagne said the removal of the four democratically elected legislators further erodes the autonomy promised to the former British colony when it was handed back to Beijing in 1997.
“This decision further narrows Hong Kong’s autonomy and the space for freedom of expression and public participation in governance in Hong Kong,” Champagne said in a written statement on Wednesday.
“This action clearly demonstrates a concerning disregard for Hong Kong’s Basic Law and the high degree of autonomy promised for Hong Kong under the ‘one country, two systems’ framework.”
Four Hong Kong lawmakers, from left, Dennis Kwok, Alvin Yeung, Kwok Ka-ki and Kenneth Leung, confirmed they were disqualified from serving in the city’s Legislative Council at a news conference Wednesday. (Vincent Yu/The Associated Press)
Under the Sino-British declaration — signed in 1984 — China promised to allow Hong Kong a high degree of autonomy for 50 years in exchange for reassuming control of the territory in 1997. But Beijing has in recent months moved to clamp down on opposition voices in Hong Kong with the imposition of a national security law, after months of anti-government protests last year rocked the city.
‘Further assault’ on freedoms
Champagne called China’s move a “further assault” on Hong Kong’s freedoms.
“We are deeply disappointed that China has chosen to break its international obligations,” said Champagne.
“Canada will continue to stand with the people of Hong Kong.”
The issue of Hong Kong’s autonomy has proven to be a thorn in an already chilled relationship between Canada and China. Relations between the two countries have worsened since Canada arrested Huawei’s Chief Financial Officer Meng Wanzhou in December 2017 on a U.S. extradition warrant. China arrested two Canadians, Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor, shortly after Meng’s arrest.
The two Michaels have now spent over 700 days in prison while Meng fights her extradition in a B.C. court and lives under house arrest in Vancouver.
Canada suspended its extradition treaty with Hong Kong in July in response to the passage of the new national security law — which gave Beijing sweeping powers to crack down on dissent amid anti-government protests and other activities it considers the work of hostile foreign powers.
The Canadian government also amended its export controls to treat sensitive goods, including military equipment, being exported to Hong Kong as if they were being sent to mainland China. Previously, Hong Kong was given preferential status.
MONTREAL – One expert says entry-level pay under the tentative deal between Air Canada and its pilots could be a stumbling block ahead of a union vote on the agreement.
Under their current contract, pilots earn far less in their first four years at the company before enjoying a big wage increase starting in year five.
The Air Line Pilots Association had been pushing to scrap the so-called “fixed rate” provision entirely.
But according to a copy of the contract summary obtained by The Canadian Press, the proposed deal announced Sunday would merely cut the four-year period of lower pay to two years.
John Gradek, who teaches aviation management at McGill University, says as many as 2,000 of Air Canada’s roughly 5,200 active pilots may earn entry-level wages following a recent hiring surge.
After the airline averted a strike this week, Gradek says the failure to ditch the pay grade restrictions could prompt pushback from rank-and-file flight crew and jeopardize the deal, which is up for a vote next month.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 18, 2024.
ROME (AP) — Salvatore “Totò” Schillaci, the Italy striker who was top scorer at its home World Cup in 1990, has died. He was 59.
Schillaci had been hospitalized in Palermo following treatment for colon cancer.
The Palermo Civico hospital said in a statement that Schillacci died on Wednesday morning after being admitted 11 days ago.
Schillaci scored six goals for Italy during the 1990 World Cup. He came on as a substitute during Italy’s opener against Austria, scored in a 1-0 victory, and went on to earn the Golden Boot awarded to the tournament’s top scorer. He only scored one other goal for Italy in his career.
Italian soccer federation president Gabriele Gravina announced that a minute of silence would be held in memory of Schillaci before all games in the country for the rest of the week.
“The uncontrollable celebrations, in which his face was the symbol of shared joy, will remain forever part of Italian soccer (history),” Gravina said. “Totò was a great player, a symbol of tenacious desire and redemption. … His soccer was full of passion. And that fearless spirit made everyone appreciate him and will make him immortal.”
Schillaci also won the Golden Ball award at the 1990 World Cup as the tournament’s top player ahead of Lothar Matthaus and Diego Maradona.
Schillaci played for Messina, Juventus, Inter Milan and Japanese team Jubilo Iwata during his club career.
“You made an entire nation dream during the Magical Nights of Italia ’90,” Inter said on its social media channels.
West Germany won the 1990 World Cup, beating Argentina in the final, while Italy beat England for third place with a winning penalty kick from Schillaci.
Roberto Baggio, who scored Italy’s opening goal in the third-place match, wrote on Instagram, “Ciao my dear friend.”
Having been born and raised in Palermo, the Palermo soccer team announced that it would hold a public viewing of Schillaci at its Renzo Barbera stadium ahead of the funeral, the Gazzetta dello Sport reported.
French soccer player Wissam Ben Yedder will stay free ahead of his trial on charges of sexual assault while intoxicated, one of his lawyers told The Associated Press on Wednesday.
Marie Roumiantseva said Ben Yedder will remain under strict judicial supervision after a woman filed a lawsuit for sexual assault earlier this month.
The 34-year-old Ben Yedder, a prolific striker in the French league, was briefly detained then released after the alleged incident in his car on the French Riviera. Ben Yedder had been stopped by police after he first refused to do so. He was then put in a jail cell.
After he was summoned to appear in court on Oct. 15 and placed under judicial supervision, the Nice prosecutor’s office appealed the decision not to remand the player in custody. The investigative chamber of the Court of Appeal of Aix-en-Provence did not grant this request and kept Ben Yedder under judicial supervision.
Ben Yedder attended a hearing Tuesday during which he offered to go to rehab. He has admitted he drove while under the influence of alcohol but has denied any sexual assault.
In a separate legal case last year, Ben Yedder was charged with “rape, attempted rape and sexual assault” over another alleged incident in the south of France.
Ben Yedder has been without a club since his contract with Monaco expired at the end of last season.
