The West Block — Episode 10, Season 13 – National | 24CA News
THE WEST BLOCK
Episode 10, Season 13
Sunday, November 19, 2023
Host: Mercedes Stephenson
Guests:
Masih Alinejad, Iranian Human Rights Activist
Roy Chun Lee, Taiwan’s Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister
Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, Democrat- New Hampshire
Location:
Halifax, NS
Mercedes Stephenson: We’re right here in Nova Scotia on the 15th annual Halifax International Security Forum. The discussion board couldn’t be happening at a extra vital time. From tensions with China to issues about Iranian interference, the battle within the Middle East and Russia’s battle in Ukraine, everyone seems to be right here from decision-makers to dissidence to generals, looking for a means ahead in our world that generally looks like its exploding.
I’m Mercedes Stephenson. The West Block begins now.
The October 7th assault by Hamas in Israel has put the function of Iran in supporting Hamas and Hezbollah below growing scrutiny. But critics of the regime say international locations like Canada are additionally in danger.
I sit down with outstanding Iranian activist Masih Alinejad, who says Prime Minister Justin Trudeau must take motion now.
And what’s going to the brand new tone between Washington and Beijing imply for Taiwan? As the nation ready for presidential elections in January, I communicate to Taiwan’s deputy overseas minister concerning the fixed menace of Chinese army motion.
The Iranian regime casts a protracted shadow world wide, one which has grow to be much more apparent since Hamas attacked Israel on October 7th. Tehran makes use of proxy terrorist teams like Hamas and Hezbollah throughout the Middle East. But a Global News investigation discovered the regime’s tentacles prolong to proper right here in Canada.
Our Negar Mojtahedi, uncovered proof of greater than 700 regime operatives right here on Canadian soil. From cash laundering to threats to homicide plots, the impunity with which the regime seems to be working in Canada is stunning.
Renowned Iranian human rights activist Masih Alinejad sat down with me to share a contemporary warning and a bone chilling message for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
Masih thanks a lot for becoming a member of us in the present day. I do know that it was truly a harmful factor, probably, so that you can come to Canada.
Masih Alinejad, Iranian Human Rights Activist: Even saying this, it’s like—it’s so bizarre. Like it’s harmful to be in Canada? Oh, I like Canada. Thank you a lot for having me. But sure, it was due to my scenario being vital of the Islamic Republic there may be nonetheless a menace not solely towards me, towards everybody who criticizes Islamic Republic in Canada.
Mercedes Stephenson: You usually are in Brooklyn, and also you spoke with 60 Minutes and instructed the story about how the Iranian regime not solely desires you kidnapped, they need you lifeless. They tried to have you ever killed. What occurred?
Masih Alinejad, Iranian Human Rights Activist: Whoa, yeah they need me lifeless. First of all, they hate ladies like me, such as you. I imply you’ve acquired stunning hair, in order that even makes them extra hate you as a result of they don’t need you to indicate your hair. But me, due to truly campaigning towards obligatory veiling, campaigning towards Islamic Republic, they hate me quite a bit. So that’s why first, they went after ladies who had been sending movies to me. Like you understand merely strolling unveiled and making a video and saying hello Masih, we benefit from the wind—air. We wish to be free. This is my you understand follow of civil disobedience. They introduced these ladies on TV to denounce me publicly, made them to do false confessions. That didn’t work as a result of different ladies joined, after which they went after my members of the family to love you understand put my brother in jail for 2 years to maintain me silent. Didn’t work. Then, totally different techniques: sending killers to New York, a person with loaded gun with AK-47 acquired arrested in entrance of my home. Yes, in Brooklyn.
Mercedes Stephenson: You see these tales. You hear them and so they sound like one thing out of a thriller novel or a foul film, but it surely’s occurring right here. It’s occurring in New York, but additionally in Canada. We lately did a documentary. We discovered that at the very least 700 regime associates are right here in Canada and the Iranian diaspora inhabitants says they’re being intimidated by them.
Masih Alinejad, Iranian Human Rights Activist: But you understand what makes me offended probably the most? It’s just like the members of the family are one in every of—are well-known sufferer of the Islamic Republic—[00:04:39 Name] You must see the video of her getting killed of Revolutionary Guards on the street, which went viral. So her members of the family had been denied visa by Canadian authorities, however on the similar time you see that the members of Revolutionary Guards themselves who’re taking pictures individuals within the chest, coronary heart, receiving visas and being welcomed in Canada. That makes me offended.
Mercedes Stephenson: So why do you suppose the Canadian authorities shouldn’t be doing extra to cease these individuals from coming to Canada?
Masih Alinejad, Iranian Human Rights Activist: You know what? This query needs to be requested in entrance of Prime Minister Trudeau. I need you to sit down down and ask this query.
Mercedes Stephenson: And I’d truly love to offer you his response as a result of we did ask him that.
Masih Alinejad, Iranian Human Rights Activist: You did.
Mercedes Stephenson: And what his response was is that the federal government will proceed to do all the pieces vital to carry the regime accountable. They say they’ve criminalized them so they aren’t allowed to enter Canada, however they haven’t designated the IRGC as a terror entity, which some activists right here say is critical.
Masih Alinejad, Iranian Human Rights Activist: These are cliché’s and empty phrases, and Prime Minister Trudeau—I wish to use this digital camera and speak to you straight—don’t be afraid of me and ladies like, you understand, you and important journalists and Iranian Canadians in Canada. We love Canada. We love peace and safety and democracy. We love Canada to be a shelter for, you understand, first rate individuals. And you’re placing the lives of Canadians in peril. So I wish to meet you. That’s all I can say as a result of in any other case he’s going to give you loads of empty phrases, saying that we stand with the individuals of Iran. No please, sit down and make choices the way to defend human rights, the way to defend democracy in Canada. That’s crucial. I used to be the one—4 years in the past in Canadian Parliament—I warned Prime Minister Trudeau’s authorities that put the Revolutionary Guards on the terrorist checklist. They didn’t. What occurred? The similar Revolutionary Guards killed Iranian Canadians by taking pictures down the Ukrainian airplane. So that’s why after we warn Prime Minister Trudeau it signifies that we all know that hazard is coming. Now Revolutionary Guards are in every single place. Everywhere, sponsoring Hamas to kill civilians is Israel.
Mercedes Stephenson: And that’s one of many questions I needed to ask you. What would these members of the Iranian regime be doing in Canada?
Masih Alinejad, Iranian Human Rights Activist: Spying, cash laundering—all the pieces—spreading the ideology of the Islamic Republic. Wow, they’ll do quite a bit. That’s the aim of Islamic revolution since once they took over Iran 40 years in the past. Khomeini was saying that we’ve got to export our revolution, our values. Child marriage, you understand this is without doubt one of the values of Islamic revolution, obligatory veiling and spreading terrorist ideologies, saying that if anybody doesn’t observe our values and beliefs, they are often eradicated.
Mercedes Stephenson: You had been warned by the FBI that Canada may be significantly harmful for you. I believe loads of Canadians could be shocked and horrified by that.
Masih Alinejad, Iranian Human Rights Activist: I don’t need Canadian individuals to get offended with me due to my scenario now. You hear that quite a bit on media that Canada shouldn’t be protected. Canada shouldn’t be protected, don’t go there. But truthfully, that is truly—to me, it’s a warning and all Canadians ought to truly hold stress on the federal government in Canada as a result of it’s not good to listen to truly that as Canadian residents hear that more often than not that Canada shouldn’t be protected. Canada turned a haven for Islamic Republic brokers. Canada is a rustic that lots of people have respect for. In my nation, lots of people wish to come to Canada and benefit from the freedom. But now, they are saying that oh no, let’s not go to Canada as a result of it’s not protected. Can you imagine that? Or individuals right here, like Iranians saying that. We see loads of not solely the brokers of the Islamic Republic, those that built-in us round us. So it’s past unhappy. It’s past unhappy. I believe we’ve got to resume democracy. We must be vigilant and give it some thought once more that what are we going to do with our nation? America, the identical. I see loads of, you understand, kin of the Ayatollah’s, those that say that’s America. They are having fun with their luxurious lives in America as effectively and that’s unhappy.
Mercedes Stephenson: What did the FBI inform you concerning the RCMP’s skill to guard you in Canada?
Masih Alinejad, Iranian Human Rights Activist: I imply, I’ve to thank the FBI all the time truly letting the police in Canada know and they’re all the time there to guard me, however that’s—I don’t need something for myself. I need them to guard Canada. I need them to guard individuals who stay right here. Yeah, I’m just one individual. I’m not afraid of getting killed. I’m not truthfully scared for myself. But that is scary that in entrance of the eyes of the free world, we see that the Islamic Republic threatening nationwide safety of Canada and nationwide safety of America. Yes, I used to be instructed by the FBI that the identical individuals who plotted to kidnap me; they had been the identical group attempting to kidnap two Canadian residents on Canadian soil. Yes, that was like public. You can learn the indictment by Department of Justice in America someday printed that. I used to be like wow. Then I’m not alone. The similar member of Revolutionary Guards who’re attempting to kidnap me, they had been after two Canadians and two U.Okay. residents. That’s why I say that: the place are you, the democratic international locations?
Mercedes Stephenson: What has occurred to you by way of threats or exercise because you spoke to Global New?
Masih Alinejad, Iranian Human Rights Activist: Nothing. I’m getting louder and louder. As you see me, I’m vigorous. You know, I wish to take pleasure in my life. I don’t wish to stay in concern. I bear in mind the day when—yeah, when the FBI confirmed me just like the textual content message between the killers, one in New York, the one in Iranian Intelligence Service saying that as quickly as she got here out, the present is over. That was a textual content message between them. And the man in Iran was saying that that’s going to be a birthday present for me. I simply turned again to my husband. I mentioned that they speak about my lifeless physique as a present. So it’s disgusting, no?
Mercedes Stephenson: Absolutely.
Masih Alinejad, Iranian Human Rights Activist: But I mentioned to him—I mentioned wow. I’m solely 45 kilos. I’m not carrying weapons. Nothing. But they’re afraid of me. So that offers me hope. So it’s like, you understand Iranian ladies, youngsters. They’re scaring the entire regime with weapons and bullets, energy, cash, all the pieces. But they’re afraid of Iranian ladies’s hair. Like youngsters strolling within the streets, they put loads of morality police in every single place to arrest them, to kill them. That reveals we’re highly effective and they’re afraid of us.
Mercedes Stephenson: Masih, thanks a lot.
Masih Alinejad, Iranian Human Rights Activist: Of course. Thank you a lot for having me.
Mercedes Stephenson: Great.
Up subsequent, U.S. President Joe Biden says he made vital progress in his assembly with Chinese President Xi Jinping. Will that defend Taiwan from Chinese army aggression?
[Break]
Mercedes Stephenson: A historic assembly between U.S. President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping could have dialled down the specter of battle with China.
President Joe Biden: “As you know, I just concluded several hours of meetings with President Xi, and I believe they were some of the most constructive and productive discussions we’ve had.”
Mercedes Stephenson: There is nonetheless, a sticking level, the connection with Taiwan. Will the brand new tone between Biden and Xi assist to guard Taiwan from the opportunity of a Chinese invasion?
I spoke to Taiwan’s Deputy Foreign Minister of Affairs Roy Chun Lee.
There’s loads of concern that there may very well be an unintentional third world battle, basically. As you sit there and watch this from the Taiwanese perspective, what does this assembly imply for Taiwan safety? Has it helped or do you suppose that there’s nonetheless a excessive potential for China to invade?
Roy Chun Lee, Taiwan’s Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister: Well to begin with, the meeting between President Xi and President Biden positively helps to offer some degree of certainty in relation to the tensions that has been unfolding and creating over the past 24 months. We had been joking that there have been extra naval and battle planes and naval vessels crusing by way of Taiwan Straits than industrial ships and airplanes these days as a result of it turns into a sort of sizzling spot for all of the superpowers. Not solely superpowers by international locations like Canada or Japan, and even South Korea and Germany. German warships are actually attempting to keep up the peace and stability within the Taiwan Strait by crossing by way of—crusing by way of the Taiwan Straits to make sure that there may be freedom of navigation. And China, however, is attempting to create a army new regular by intimidating all of the battle planes or naval ships which are crusing the Taiwan Strait.
One of the goals, we suspect, is that China is attempting to transform the Taiwan Strait into home water so will probably be an inner water of China. It would require Chinese permission to sail by way of. They will not be there but, however they’re attempting to create a brand new regular in order that if you happen to don’t push again towards that, it should grow to be regular. So that signifies the significance of those [00:02:33] between Xi Jinping and President Biden as a result of President Biden has been comparatively easy to specific our issues and reservations and oppositions to China’s actions, particularly in that a part of the world. And Xi Jining after all reacted to these remarks or calls for by sharing nearly with us that they haven’t any plan to have battle with anybody and they’re completely satisfied to renew the commerce talks in any respect ranges. So that creates some safeguards or guardrails. Not essentially eradicating all of the threats and risks, however at the very least some guardrails.
Mercedes Stephenson: China has clearly been escalating by way of its menacing posture in the direction of Taiwan. Tell us what these threats have appeared like for you? What does it contain as a result of we simply see once they intercept a Canadian or American ship, or a Canadian airplane? It makes our news, however for Canadians on the market, what have the Taiwanese individuals been residing with?
Roy Chun Lee, Taiwan’s Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister: If you might be residing in Taiwan, the truth is that day by day you get up, you flip down—you’re logging into web and you may test on the numbers of Chinese battle planes which have approached Taiwan in a single day within the final 24 hours. Sometimes the quantity is 5. Sometimes the quantity is 90.
Mercedes Stephenson: Every day?
Roy Chun Lee, Taiwan’s Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister: Every day.
Mercedes Stephenson: Wow.
Roy Chun Lee, Taiwan’s Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister: Every day, so it turns into a part of the day by day threats. So the menace shouldn’t be solely on the paper, it’s truly within the sky, within the sea surrounding Taiwan. Constantly, there are 4-5 Chinese naval vessels stationed on the 4 corners of Taiwan and so they change paths on a weekly foundation. Of course, they aren’t into Taiwan’s territorial waters, actually, however their posture is such that they’ll do this over the subsequent 10 minutes. So that’s how shut they’re and that’s how often they’re intimidating Taiwan on these army fronts. But I want so as to add one other ingredient that’s intimidation and coercion within the digital world. On a day by day foundation, we obtain 1000’s of cyberattacks. Last yr, Taiwan’s public sector acquired over 30 million cyberattacks each month. That is 1,000 occasions greater than European international locations on common.
Mercedes Stephenson: It’s extraordinary.
Roy Chun Lee, Taiwan’s Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister: So it’s not solely the battle planes. It’s not solely the naval vessels but additionally the cyberattacks and the disinformation, to not point out the election interference that Canadians are actually additionally conscious—so aware of. For Taiwan, it’s additionally like each day that we face interference from China. So we describe this as hybrid warfare. It’s a warfare that’s together of army threats, intimidation plus cyberattacks and disinformation.
Mercedes Stephenson: What do you suppose the prospect is of a Chinese army invasion?
Roy Chun Lee, Taiwan’s Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister: I believe within the foreseeable future, it’s fairly unlikely as a result of to begin with, China shouldn’t be prepared militarily and economically. Looking at Russia’s invasion to Ukraine, you’ll understand that it’s not a contest between the {hardware}; it’s additionally about monetary capability. It’s additionally concerning the depth of your manufacturing sector, for instance. So in that regard, China is—China’s readiness shouldn’t be solely mirrored on what number of vessels they’ve. It’s additionally concerning the capability to maintain army battle. So in the meanwhile China shouldn’t be there but, however they’re working in the direction of that goal. And additionally, China’s inhabitants relies on additionally the uncertainty and the dangers related to the army and particularly on their political authority in China. So they wish to be sure that they must win the battle, the Communist Party will keep in energy with or and not using a battle and so they must do all these calculations. So what we’ve got been doing is to extend the uncertainty, enhance the prices of a army…
Mercedes Stephenson: Non-military deterrence.
Roy Chun Lee, Taiwan’s Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister: Exactly. But they secret’s, they proceed to train this army intimidation for 3 goals. First of all, to create concern in Taiwan, so all these army workouts can present an element that may divide Taiwan society. Secondly, is the express election interference as a result of in Taiwan, the political debate at this level of time is about whether or not the election subsequent January is a choice between battle and peace. So China is definitely offering artifical proof to assist the argument that it certainly a alternative between battle and peace. Well they’re the supply of the battle, however they’re saying that look, it’s best to select—get your determination proper. Get the social gathering who will probably be creating battle. Elect the social gathering who’re bringing peace. So to our perspective, it’s an express direct interference of election. And lastly is offering chilling reality to the worldwide neighborhood in order that Taiwan will probably be remoted from different international locations and high leaders from Canada will really feel slightly bit involved to go to Taiwan.
Mercedes Stephenson: Thank you a lot for becoming a member of us in the present day. I do know you’ve acquired loads of work forward of you on this journey and we look ahead to seeing the way forward for Taiwan.
Roy Chun Lee, Taiwan’s Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister: Yes.
Mercedes Stephenson: Up subsequent, will Canada match its messaging from the Halifax International Security Forum about elevated defence spending or proceed cuts and be neglected within the chilly by allies?
[Break]
Mercedes Stephenson: Now for one very last thing…
The dialogue right here in Halifax has been all about strengthening defence and safety because the world turns into extra unpredictable and autocratic regimes are emboldened.
Canada’s Defence Minister Bill Blair delivered a speech right here calling for enhanced defence spending. A place at odds with the present actuality as Ottawa plans army spending cuts.
I requested U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen a strong Democrat who sits on the U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations and to the Senate Armed Services Committee what message Canada will probably be sending if we don’t spend extra on defence.
Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, Democrat, New Hampshire: Well I believe the message is one to all of our allies and never simply the United States however to all of NATO. I used to be simply within the Western Balkans in Europe, in North Macedonia the place they’re spending over 2 per cent of their GDP on defence and so they—as they mentioned to me, we’ve supplied each weapon system we may to Ukraine. All that’s left in our nation now’s the band. And I believe we’re seeing that sort of dedication and sacrifice on the a part of among the smallest allies in NATO, and so it’s vital for the larger companions to be sure that we’re additionally placing in our justifiable share.
Mercedes Stephenson: We’ll see if that defence spending comes by way of.
That’s our present in the present day from Halifax. We’ll see you subsequent week from Ottawa.
