Lai Changxing case: Do Canadians believe in human rights for everybody?

The court hearings and ultimately the decision to send Lai Changxing, China's most-wanted fugitive, back home to face trial has generated some heated debate on radio talk shows and newspapers across the country.

Changxing has been fighting to remain in Canada since he arrived here 12 years ago after accusations he masterminded a smuggling operation that siphoned millions of dollars in import duties from the Chinese government.

In a judgment released Thursday, Justice Michel Shore says China's assurances that Changxing will not be subject to torture or execution gave him reason to dismiss the man's application for a stay of deportation.

Canadian counsel have suggested the Chinese government cannot be trusted citing nine alleged accomplices of Changxing have already been executed.

On radio and news websites, comments about Changxing's status in Canada have ranged from negative to even more negative.

In response to a Globe and Mail story about Changxing, Leon C wrote:

"Why is Canada protecting criminal like this. He admitted committing the crime. Send him back to China to face the music."

Loil wrote: "If he knew he could be executed for evading taxes but did it anyways then send him back and let him pay for his crimes. Who is Canada to impose its criminal system on another country?"

If Canadians, or people living in Canada, commit a crime in another country should they be subjected to that country's punishments - even it means torture or death?

Zool Suleman, a Vancouver-based immigration lawyer, says the Changxing case brings forward a bigger discussion about whether Canadians believe in human rights for everybody.

"We have a series of constitutional guarantees that we don't deport people to be killed or be tortured," he told Yahoo! Canada News.

"What Canadians need to decide is are we proud of a government that upholds human rights or do we only want a government that wants human rights in Canada and not anywhere else?

"I think these are some of the broader questions that the public needs to explore."

(AFP Photo)