Canada Should Not Participate in the 2022 Winter Olympics

[CaptainCrunch]

And going to the Olympics just says we don't give a crap about what China does to us. We also need to stop sending any money to the chinese and finally render a decision on Huwei.


The last thing that we should see is Canadian's marching into that stadium.

[jeffman]

Originally Posted by GirlySports

It's sad that they didn't go to Korea but will go to China, just for money.

Why? should they have gone to support Kim Jong un instead?

[zamler]

Not sure if serious.

[CroFlames]

Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch

There's no way on gods green earth that we should be going to the Olympics, and Canada should be pushing with our allies for a general boycott.

That does literally nothing. Governments shouldn't use athletes as pawns for political stunts at the Olympics.

If we want to stand up to China, we have to cease trade with them, and impose sanctions. Unfortunately, Canadians don't care that much about sending a message to a genocidal regime to actually make some self sacrifice, so I'm afraid nothing can be done. At best, the government should make an official statement, but we don't have the political muscle to make one iota of difference.

So we may as well send the athletes since only they will get punished if we don't go. China won't care.

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by CroFlames

the government should make an official statement, but we don't have the political muscle to make one iota of difference.

I think the govn't had the chance to do that with the vote regarding genocide in parliament but IIRC, government official abstained.

[Manhattanboy]

Canada is a dominant force at the Winter games. Our absence will significantly damage their Olympics. It will be the underlying theme. They will definitely care.

If our guys are still rotting in Chinese prisons and we send a team it will represent one of the lowest points in the history of this country and no I’m not exaggerating.

[Fighting Banana Slug]

I'd be all for it, so long as we convince USA, Germany, Sweden, Norway, Switzerland, Austria, etc. to follow suit. Otherwise, we won't be missed.

[CliffFletcher]

Canada would be missed from the Winter Games. And if Canada boycotted it would be big news internationally, and put pressure on other liberal democracies where citizens are already concerned about what’s happening with the Uighurs and the crackdowns on dissent in Hong Kong.

[CaptainCrunch]

Originally Posted by CroFlames

That does literally nothing. Governments shouldn't use athletes as pawns for political stunts at the Olympics.

If we want to stand up to China, we have to cease trade with them, and impose sanctions. Unfortunately, Canadians don't care that much about sending a message to a genocidal regime to actually make some self sacrifice, so I'm afraid nothing can be done. At best, the government should make an official statement, but we don't have the political muscle to make one iota of difference.

So we may as well send the athletes since only they will get punished if we don't go. China won't care.

Yes absolutely, I think we need to attack trade. I think our government needs to stop sending infrastructure money to China and start sending it to China's competitors. I think that the Huwei question needs to be answered, the Government for whatever has ragged the puck on this and we look like a joke to our 5 eyes partners.



I would almost hope that the athletes would lead the way on not going. I respect them but if they put a track meet over the fate of the two Michaels, I certainly won't be watching or cheering them on.

[GirlySports]

They can have a winter games without Canada easily, we won't be missed if we're the only ones.


I'm more disappointed in the NHL than any country. Refuse to go to Korea because of fatigue, loss revenue and timezones, then turn around and go to China.

[CroFlames]

Originally Posted by CliffFletcher

Canada would be missed from the Winter Games. And if Canada boycotted it would be big news internationally, and put pressure on other liberal democracies where citizens are already concerned about what’s happening with the Uighurs and the crackdowns on dissent in Hong Kong.

It would be big news, then forgotten in a day and Canadian athletes miss out on their big chance.

Canadian prisoners still in prison. Genocide continues. Nothing changes in Hong Kong.

I'm just saying, I think it is a hollow gesture when the Canadian government could have taken a strong stance and they didn't.

[Sliver]

I don't think it would make us look strong. It would make us look like pouty little bitches.

[Looch City]

Have the athletes go and wear clothing that supports these initiatives against China. Encourage athletes to speak out if they'd like.

Force China to make the move to censor/ban, not us.

[Flamenspiel]

I think Canada by itself would not be effective, it needs to be a Moscow style boycott where they end up having only the “bad boys” like Russia, North Korea, Iran, and a couple of other countries attend. It think it was the UK who started the boycott talk this time, and they do not have a lot of athletes.

You also have to get US and Scandinavian buy in, maybe move the games to Norway.....

[GirlySports]

One thing to remember is that while the US and their allies boycotted Moscow 80 and then the USSR and their allies returned the favor at Los Angeles 84, China was not part of this. In fact the PRC actually boycotted Moscow and made their Summer Olympic debut at Los Angeles 84 so the Americans always remember that and would probably never boycott a Chinese hosted Olympics.

Article before the 2008 Beijing Games. How China saved the 1984 games.
https://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/14/s...4olympics.html

[GordonBlue]

Originally Posted by Looch City

Have the athletes go and wear clothing that supports these initiatives against China. Encourage athletes to speak out if they'd like.

Force China to make the move to censor/ban, not us.

but check the tags first to make sure where it was made.

[Flamenspiel]

^^That is a good point, however things have changed. You only have to look at the hostile words that were exchanged between the countries in the Alaska meetings today. Looking back the China of 1984 was part of America’s strategy to isolate the Soviet Union.

We now have a “blowback” Scenario where US policy to help China grow as an ally has resulted in a the emergence of a third global
power hostile to the interests of the United States and many other western countries.

I guess you can blame that on Nixon as well, the China economic boycott was ended and they were granted “most favoured nation” trade status.

[nik-]

Originally Posted by GordonBlue

but check the tags first to make sure where it was made.

Vietnam or Bangladesh.

[RogerWilco]

Originally Posted by CroFlames

That does literally nothing. Governments shouldn't use athletes as pawns for political stunts at the Olympics.

If we want to stand up to China, we have to cease trade with them, and impose sanctions. Unfortunately, Canadians don't care that much about sending a message to a genocidal regime to actually make some self sacrifice, so I'm afraid nothing can be done. At best, the government should make an official statement, but we don't have the political muscle to make one iota of difference.

So we may as well send the athletes since only they will get punished if we don't go. China won't care.

Boycotting the Olympics would not be a political stunt. It is just basic human decency and responsibility to Canadian Citizens that have been, and let not beat around the bush here, kidnapped by the Chinese government to not attend a party that is thrown by that same government.

[RogerWilco]

China may not care if we go or not, but lets be clear. The premier event of the winter games is the ice hockey tournament. If NHLers are allowed to go the tournament is basically meaningless without the Canadian Team. This would be a huge story. If it was the summer games no one would really care, but the winter games?