Canada’s Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly has condemned China’s execution of four Canadian citizens. The executions were linked to drug-related offences, which often attract severe penalties under Chinese law.
Speaking in Ottawa, Joly confirmed that both she and former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau had personally appealed for clemency on behalf of the Canadians involved.
“We strongly condemn the executions,” she stated, adding that the families of the executed individuals had requested privacy, prompting the government to withhold their identities.
In response, the Chinese embassy in Ottawa defended the executions, emphasizing that they were carried out in accordance with China’s strict drug laws. The embassy also pointed out that China does not recognize dual citizenship and insisted that the evidence against the Canadians was “solid and sufficient.”
The executions come at a time of heightened diplomatic tensions between Canada and China. Relations between the two nations have been strained since 2018, when Canadian authorities arrested Meng Wanzhou, the daughter of Huawei’s founder, on a U.S. extradition request. China retaliated by detaining two Canadian citizens, who were released in 2021 following a deal between Washington and Beijing.
More recently, trade disputes have further soured relations, with China imposing tariffs on Canadian agricultural exports in response to Canada’s levies on Chinese-made electric vehicles and steel.
Amnesty International also condemned the executions, calling them “shocking and inhumane.” Ketty Nivyabandi, Amnesty’s head for English-speaking Canada, warned that the case “should be a wake-up call for Canada” about China’s justice system and its continued use of the death penalty.
Joly reaffirmed Canada’s commitment to advocating for clemency in death penalty cases involving Canadian citizens, including Robert Schellenberg, who remains on death row in China for drug smuggling.
Meanwhile, opposition lawmakers in Canada have intensified their criticism of Beijing. Conservative MP Michael Chong described the executions as “unprecedented” and a clear signal that China has no interest in improving bilateral relations.
