U.S. announces diplomatic boycott of Beijing Olympics, will Canada do the same?
CTV
Pressure is mounting on the Canadian government to commit to a diplomatic boycott of the upcoming Beijing Winter Olympic Games after the U.S. announced its intention to do so Monday.
White House press secretary Jen Psaki told reporters that government officials won’t be in attendance for the games, to protest human rights abuses in China, but athletes are permitted to compete.
“Athletes will be participating, we will be rooting for the athletes from home…this is just an indication that it cannot be business as usual, that not sending a diplomatic delegation sends that message,” she said.
Psaki said the U.S. has informed its allies of its decision but will “leave it to them” to make their own call about whether to attend in full or in part.
Sports Minister Pascale St-Onge said later in the day that the government was consulting with other countries but that a Canadian decision hadn’t been reached.
