Photo by James Wheeler on Pexels.com

According to Canada’s National Observer, Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer has urged Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to step up inspections on all products from China and to consider levying tariffs on imports on Chinese imports.

The request was sent by letter last Friday in which Scheer urged Prime Minister Trudeau to take a harder line on China’s second largest trade partner. China detained two Canadians in December just days after Canada arrested Chinese high-tech executive Meng Wanzhou in Vancouver on a U.S. extradition warrant. Additionally, China has increased inspections that have led to the suspension or obstruction of key Canadian agricultural imports, including pork and canola. Last week, China announced an additional suspension of all imports of Canadian meat products because of claimed concerns over fraudulent inspection reports.

In Scheer’s publicly released letter, he writes: “There is no other way to put this: Canada is being bullied by the Chinese government and you have done nothing to stand up for Canada in response”. Scheer asks Prime Minister Trudeau to increase Canadian inspection of all imports from China and the potential of placing tariffs on some of the $75 billion worth of goods imported from China last year.