Liberal MP Michael Ma Downplays Reports of Forced Labour in China at Committee Hearing
Liberal Member of Parliament Michael Ma has sparked controversy by downplaying well-established reports of forced labour in China's Xinjiang region during a House of Commons industry committee meeting on Thursday. The incident occurred as Ma aggressively questioned Margaret McCuaig-Johnston, a senior fellow at the University of Ottawa and a recognized expert on Canada-China relations, who was testifying about human rights abuses.
Aggressive Questioning of Expert Witness
Ma launched a series of rapid-fire questions at McCuaig-Johnston, demanding short answers about her firsthand experience with forced labour in Xinjiang. "Have you witnessed forced labour in Xinjiang? Just a short answer — have you witnessed forced labour in Xinjiang, yes or no?" Ma asked, according to committee transcripts. McCuaig-Johnston, who is also a former senior public servant in federal and Ontario governments, was testifying that China uses slave labour from the Uyghur minority in Xinjiang province for producing Chinese-made vehicles.
McCuaig-Johnston later told The Canadian Press she was "kind of dumbfounded" by Ma's questioning, noting that Westerners are not allowed access to such sites in China. Ma also suggested her testimony relied on "hearsay," prompting angry responses from Conservative MPs on the committee who accused him of ignoring numerous expert reports on forced labour and other human rights violations in Xinjiang.
Background and Political Context
Ma was elected as a Conservative in the riding of Markham—Unionville in the April 2025 federal election before crossing the floor to the Liberals in December. He accompanied Prime Minister Mark Carney on a trip to China in January to forge a "new strategic partnership" with China. The Commons industry committee is examining Carney's deal that eliminated Ottawa's 100% tariff on Chinese-made electric vehicles, initially allowing up to 49,000 Chinese-made EVs into the Canadian market with a "most-favoured-nation" tariff rate of 6.1%. In return, China lowered its tariffs on Canadian canola seed from 85% to 15%, along with reduced tariffs on canola meal, lobsters, crabs, and peas.
When asked later by a CBC reporter whether he believed there was forced labour in China, Ma said it goes on all over the world but did not specifically cite China. Numerous human rights organizations have condemned China's use of forced labour and other human rights violations. In February 2021, MPs from all parties voted 266 to 0 in the House of Commons to declare China's treatment of its Uyghur minority population a genocide.
Reactions and Implications
The incident has drawn criticism from human rights advocates and political opponents, highlighting ongoing tensions in Canada-China relations. Ma's actions at the committee meeting raise questions about the Liberal government's stance on human rights issues involving China, particularly as trade deals are being negotiated. The aggressive questioning style has been described as an attempt to discredit expert testimony on a critical international issue.
