9/4/2019 Canada-China translation project 'flushed down the toilet' due to tensions, says professor | CBC News

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Saskatoon

Canada-China translation project 'flushed down the toilet' due totensions, says professor

Book series on Canadian Indigenous history was to be published this fall across China

Jason Warick · CBC News · Posted: Sep 03, 2019 5:00 AM CT | Last Updated: September 3

Longtime University of Saskatchewan professor Keith Carlson is frustrated after his Chinese book translationproject was cancelled. (Karen Pidskalny Photography)

A Saskatchewan academic appears to be the latest victim of the deteriorating relationsbetween Canada and China, and one expert says Canadians shouldn't expect things to improveany time soon.

CBC

9/4/2019 Canada-China translation project 'flushed down the toilet' due to tensions, says professor | CBC News

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatoon/canada-china-translation-project-flushed-down-the-toilet-due-to-tensions-says-professor-1.5268219 2/4

"What a frustration, I tell ya. It's pretty disappointing," longtime University of Saskatchewanhistory professor Keith Carlson said in an interview Monday.

Carlson, who is moving this fall to B.C.'s University of the Fraser Valley, said his heart sankwhen he read an email Saturday morning.

Carlson is an expert in North American Indigenous history and culture, and four of his bookswere being translated into Mandarin. The two year project was nearly complete. This fall, tensof thousands of copies were supposed to be sent to universities and libraries across China.

But in the email, Carlson was told the project was cancelled. The Chinese publisher did notwant to be seen collaborating with a Canadian.

"One point four billion Chinese people will not be able to read these books about importantaspects of Canadian Indigenous history," Carlson said.

Carlson said two years of work has been "�ushed down the toilet." He said he also feels badlyfor the four Chinese researchers who worked with him, but declined to name them, saying hefeared they could su�er consequences.

"You know, it takes a long time to translate a 350 -page book into Chinese and to capture allthe nuances and things," he said. "And then suddenly 'Boom!' the rug's just pulled out fromunder them."

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China-Canada relations have been tense since December when Canadian authorities detainedHuawei executive Meng Wanzhou. Chinese authorities have since detained two Canadianexecutives and banned Canadian canola imports.

Carlson doesn't have an opinion on what the Canadian government should do, but saido�cials should be aware of all the sectors a�ected. He said Canada is caught in the middle ofthe volatile and "transactional" spat between China and the U.S.

9/4/2019 Canada-China translation project 'flushed down the toilet' due to tensions, says professor | CBC News

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatoon/canada-china-translation-project-flushed-down-the-toilet-due-to-tensions-says-professor-1.5268219 3/4

University of Toronto professor Lynette Ong says there are signs of hope, such as ForeignA�airs Minister Chrystia Freeland's recent talks with her Chinese counterpart.

But Ong says China is focused on protests in Hong Kong, a sluggish domestic economy and atrade war with the U.S. She said Canadian concerns are likely a low priority.

"I think Beijing has a lot on its mind right now. Its relations with Canada is probably pretty lowon its agenda I would imagine, which is, you know, very bad news for us," she said.

 

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9/4/2019 Canada-China translation project 'flushed down the toilet' due to tensions, says professor | CBC News

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatoon/canada-china-translation-project-flushed-down-the-toilet-due-to-tensions-says-professor-1.5268219 4/4

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