Canada-China Relations committee  I've suggested to you in my comments where I think we should be going. It actually riffs off of Professor Evans' comments as well. I think we need to invest even more in the societal ties. Professor Evans is right that a policy that addresses China or Asia needs to be globally focused.

Canada-China Relations committee  I was an academic adviser to the co-chairs.

Canada-China Relations committee  First of all, let me clarify. As I said, I was one of a handful of advisers. I had a small role, and I'm not at liberty to talk about the deliberations of the committee.

Canada-China Relations committee  I don't know first-hand. I was reading the transcript of the previous meeting.

Canada-China Relations committee  Again, this is in the policy. It was in my comments that two-thirds of the world's indigenous peoples are in Asia. My area is more southeast Asia. If you look across southeast Asia and at the number of indigenous people, there are different kinds of laws, including adat laws. Other forms of laws are abundant.

Canada-China Relations committee  Please.

Canada-China Relations committee  I'll have to look up the details of that case. I can't comment on the specifics, but one of the points that I learned during my time in Asia—not just in Singapore but in the region—is that a lot gets done through informal channels, whether in terms of politics or of discussions with colleagues.

Canada-China Relations committee  I'll make a general comment, which is that I think the Canadian government and all levels of government should robustly defend academic freedom and the rights of professors and students wherever they are—in Canada or abroad. Thank you.

Canada-China Relations committee  I'm not sure I'm going to comment on domestic politics. I know the confluence between housing, health care and students is a very complex one. It involves multiple layers of government. The gist of my comments is that we need to play the long game. I'm hoping that changes in student numbers are short-lived.

Canada-China Relations committee  The first point I'll make is that I appreciate the advice to not go into politics. You may know from my CV that I spent a lot of time in Asia. I'm actually working on a project now on constraints on academic freedom among public law scholars in Asia. With my team of colleagues, we've interviewed 30 colleagues from across the region, and there are all kinds of constraints—hard and soft.

Canada-China Relations committee  Good evening, Mr. Chair and Committee members. Thank you for inviting me to share my thoughts on your study. The greater the density of ties between two societies, the greater the ability to survive during difficult times. Dense societal ties ensure resilience when official ties are strained.