Human rights abuses top reasons for Canadians boycotting Beijing 2022: poll
Posted February 3, 2022 11:41 am.
Last Updated February 3, 2022 12:03 pm.
A new poll shows many Canadians are not in support of the Olympics in Beijing due to China’s human rights record.
Research Co. asked 1,000 adults in Canada what they thought about the games, set to begin Friday. It found 59 per cent think Canada should outright boycott them.
Another “47 per cent of Canadians say they will make a conscious effort to refrain from watching the sporting event.”
It’s the second time this poll was conducted in recent months, and the latest shows even fewer Canadians are interested in the Olympics than they were in 2021.
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By province, people in Quebec and B.C. are most in favour of a boycott.
Port Coquitlam’s mayor has been among those outspoken about recent and historical abuses by China, and says the Olympics should not be an opportunity to allow the country to shine in a positive light.
“I have tremendous respect for our athletes and for what it takes to achieve that level that they have. But I will be joining with the vast majority of Canadians in avoiding watching this Olympics because I don’t want to contribute in any way,” he said.
Count me as part of the 66%. I respect the hell out of our athletes and place full responsibility for this at the feet of the IOC. https://t.co/ABPblFxbuE
— Brad West (@BradWestPoCo) February 1, 2022
“I think it’s because Canadians understand that the government of China has millions of their own citizens interned in what they call re-education camps, but what are actually just awful, deplorable conditions that the Uighur population is being subjected to, conditions which have been determined to be genocide,” West said.
He adds the detention of the two Michaels is another recent injustice that few Canadians have forgotten, let alone forgiven.
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“So I think all of that contributes to a very strong feeling that, you know, the government of China should not be allowed the prestige and the tempted propaganda that comes with hosting the Olympics,” West said.
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In December, the Canadian government announced it would join the U.S. and other countries in a diplomatic boycott of the games.
Canadian government officials will not be attending in protest of “repeated human rights violations” committed by China.
“We have been very clear over the past many years of our deep concerns around human rights violations and this is a continuation of us expressing our deep concerns,” Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Dec. 8.
With files from John Ackermann, and Robyn Crawford
