There is a commotion in Canada.

A commotion that is long overdue.

No, this commotion is not being caused by the Global Sheriff below the 49th.

This commotion has its roots in things more sinister with far reaching implications that threaten our sovereignty, compromise our humanitarian values and take away control of things Canadian.

It is a commotion that you should get involved in.

Over the past few weeks it has become increasingly evident that the move by China's Communist government to control Canada's natural resources goes beyond the controversial $7-billion takeover bid of mining giant Noranda.

Now there is word that Sinopec Corp., a Chinese state oil firm is interested in the Alberta oil sands.

"The Chinese government is encouraging Chinese enterprises to make investments in Canada, particularly in the field of resources exploitation," says China's Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing, swatting away any concerns Canadians may have about his dictatorship's ownership of our country.

The implications of China's intention to "exploit" Canadian resources to feed its energy hungry industries have created a much needed, albeit delayed, hubbub in Ottawa.

On one side are the forces that feel it is time to get a good handle on China's political and economic involvement in Canada.

On the other are the pinstripe types who feel there is nothing wrong with China paying good money to take control of Canadian companies and resources.

In the middle as usual is the China-friendly Liberal leadership which has so far only uttered anaemic comments like "we are concerned".

It is no conspiracy theory that China has for long been buying Canadian companies and assets as a backdoor to control North American economics and politics.

The unfettered access allowed for many Chinese tycoons aligned with the repressive China's Communist Party Central Committee to snap up land, banks, telecommunications companies and oil pipelines.

Last year, the FBI warned lawmakers that China has more than 2,500 "front" companies in the US whose real purpose is to help Beijing get control of North American assets and industrial secrets. (see "Asian Pacific Post Aug 7, 2003":http://www.asianpacificpost.com/news/article/98.html )

In Canada, similar warnings involving an estimated 500 firms have fallen on deaf ears.

Seven years ago, a group of analysts from the Canadian spy agency and RCMP warned that Ottawa had better take heed of the national security threat being posed by China's front men who were on a buying spree.

Their efforts contained in Project Sidewinder were maligned. The analysts were ostracized as being conspiracy theorists.

It was another episode involving the Chretien-led Liberals who were racing to cash in on the riches of the Red Dragon with nary a concern for Canadian values or resources.

Guess what. China today is bold enough to stop using front men. It does not need to hide behind tycoons.

The Noranda bid is by Minmetals which is a directly controlled entity of the Chinese government and the Chinese Communist Party.

The Alberta oil sands, which are being eyed by Sinopec is another Beijing-run enterprise.

What we have is a Communist regime, with an appalling human rights record and no qualms of destroying democracy making pitches to control pieces of Canada.

The opposition made a lot of noise and rightly so in the House of Commons when the Project Sidewinder issue broke.

But they lacked the numbers to force an inquiry.

This time around they have the numbers to force a sweeping public investigation into China's involvement in Canada.

This inquiry should look at the plan to acquire Noranda and the overall threat posed to Canada should it lose control over its resources.

One of the questions that could be asked is: "Will China sell Minmetals to Noranda"

The answer will be telling.

The Asian Pacific Post