OTTAWA -- The discovery of hundreds of unmarked graves of Indigenous children at defunct "residential schools" has provoked widespread remorse in Canada -- and complicated the country's already tense relationship with China.
China last week seized on the disturbing revelations to undermine a Canadian-led effort by 44 countries to hold Beijing accountable for alleged human rights abuses in Xinjiang, Hong Kong and Tibet. In a pre-emptive statement to the United Nations Human Rights Council, China cited the children's graves in accusing Canada of "crimes" against its Indigenous people.
