I've made this recommendation. If you've served in government, you shouldn't be allowed to take money from a foreign power in retirement when you return to the private sector. Many of our people are leaving Foreign Affairs in their fifties. They feel they never got rewarded enough and want to make big money. I'm seeing a number of my friends from my years in diplomatic service who, in fact, have left government and are working for China-related associations.
The issue is this: If, while in a position of public trust, you were identified by the Chinese government as not being friendly to China in some way, you would be toxic to a wide range of Canadian law firms, businesses and boards that would not be able to hire you for fear of alienating the Chinese, who we know do this. We know from Jenny Kwan, for example, that she's not able to go to normal events in her riding because the Chinese evidently don't like her and don't want her present. From that point of view, we have to accept the reality that it's very hard for people not to be tempted to go easy on China while in public life, because they have half a mind on what they're doing afterwards.
I'm not suggesting that they have this all planned out. I think it could be a somewhat unconscious thing, not shaking the Chinese tree. I don't think we have a situation where, say, the Chinese ambassador goes to the Canadian foreign minister and says, “You know, if you take it easy on the Ministry of State Security agents operating in your country, we'll do good things for you when you leave office.” It doesn't work that way. It's a much more sophisticated process of “We just know this is how it goes.” There are so many examples that seem to me to be awfully coincidental. People who seem to give China an easy time or support Chinese purposes—those who, say, supported the immediate release of Meng Wanzhou—find themselves being very successful in China business after they leave public service, even though they previously had no business experience.