Former Canadian ambassador to China Guy Saint-Jacques says gathering more international support could be an effective strategy in saving the life of a Canadian sentenced to death for drug smuggling.
Robert Schellenberg of Abbotsford, B.C., was sentenced to death in China on Monday.
He had previously been sentenced to 15 years in prison. However, a new trial was ordered during an escalating diplomatic dispute between China and Canada, following the arrest of Huawei鈥檚 chief financial officer Meng Wanzhou in Vancouver last month.
Since Schellenberg鈥檚 new sentence, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has been imploring leaders around the world to help lean on China.
Saint-Jacques called the growing support 鈥渦nprecedented,鈥� in an interview on CTV鈥檚 Power Play on Tuesday.
鈥淭o my knowledge, this is the first time that a number of countries get together to tell China: be careful on how you鈥檙e handling this case and be mindful of international law.鈥�
The mounting pressure has gained notice in China. An editorial in , largely seen as a mouthpiece for the Chinese government, referenced the growing coalition but added Beijing wouldn鈥檛 be influenced by it.
鈥淭he West is speaking louder, but that does not mean it can represent the whole world. Unreasonable pressure from outside public opinion means nothing to China鈥� it reads.
But Saint-Jacques said Canada should stay the course.
鈥淸That鈥檚] because bringing the international spotlight on China will make them think twice before they apply further measure against us,鈥� he said.
Saint-Jacques has hope despite his own unfortunate experiences. While serving under former prime minister Stephen Harper, he tried to save the lives of two Canadian dual nationals in China who were also sentenced to death in cases related to drug smuggling.
鈥淐hinese authorities ... want to prevent drug smuggling and therefore they try to apply the death sentence to as many cases as possible,鈥� Saint-Jacques said.
鈥淚n 99.9 per cent of the cases, you are found guilty,鈥� he said, noting that death sentences can still be commuted down to life imprisonment because of good behaviour.
鈥淪o we hoped they would get the death penalty but with a reprieve,鈥� he explained.
But despite Harper鈥檚 personal pleas in 2014, the Canadian government only delayed their executions for a year, Saint-Jacques said. They were executed by lethal injection.
Donald Clarke, a professor at George Washington University Law School, said the precariousness of Schellenberg鈥檚 current situation stems from China not having a standardized system of clemency.
鈥淭he President of the United States can grant clemency but the Chairman of the People鈥檚 Republic of China 鈥� doesn鈥檛 have that particular pardon power,鈥� he told CTV News Channel. 鈥淭hat is still within the [supreme] court system. Somebody would have to issue instructions to the court system to change the sentence.鈥�
Saint-Jacques suggested the two countries convene another session of the Canada-China High-Level National Security and Rule of Law Dialogue -- a forum between the two countries to discuss pertinent and disagreements.
He said the forum, which was , led to the 2016 release of Canadian Kevin Garratt, who鈥檇 been held in China for two years on suspicion of spying.
鈥淚 think this would be the right forum because it involves the national security people on the Chinese side,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hose people have a lot more power than the folks at the [Chinese] ministry of foreign affairs.鈥�
