It's not entirely without some response. At various times the Dalai Lama comes to Canada and meets with our Prime Minister, for example, I think most recently in 2012. There will be statements by the Chinese embassy that promise dire consequences for our relations if our Prime Minister meets with His Holiness the Dalai Lama. But once the Dalai Lama flies away from Canada, it seems the matter is not raised anymore.
I mean, it's clear that China has serious economic interests in Canada, in the energy and mineral sector, and that these political issues will not damage the overall Chinese interest in getting what Canada has to offer as a stable supplier of energy and minerals products. I think a lot of it is rhetoric designed to try to cow the Government of Canada into not speaking out on our concerns over allegations of serious human rights abuses in China.
Up to now, I don't think any relationship has been established between Canadian statements and our economic or other interests in China. I actually did a study of this, looking at the statistics to see, for example, if we were doing better with China on trade under the Chrétien period of quiet diplomacy on human rights, and I could not find any relationship. In fact, our market share in China increased under Mr. Harper after he made his statements about not selling out our values to the almighty dollar.