加国取消中国访问签证?

加拿大已经计划取消墨西哥访问签证。如果加拿大想要进一步对中国游客敞开大门，自由党政府为何不一视同仁亦考虑取消中国访问签证？《大中报》在移民部长麦考镰启程访华前召开的记者会上向部长提问。

Canada has planned to lift the visa requirement for Mexican visitors to Canada. If Canada wants to open its door widely to Chinese visitors, why does the Liberal government not consider lifting the visa requirement for Chinese visitors? Chinese News asked the question during a media conference prior to John McCallum’s leaving for China.

麦考镰称，取消访问签证有利亦有弊。此举有助于促进旅游、贸易和人力资源交流，但也会增加不受欢迎人士滞加不归之风险。签证要求一直是视具每个国家具体情况而定。就墨西哥而言，取消签证是因为墨国同为北美自由贸易协定成员国，并且在2008年之前墨西哥公民一直是免签入境加拿大。但是对于中国，麦考镰称中国官员此前从未就此提出过相关要求，但是如果在他此次访华行程中提及这一问题，他很乐意与中国官员就此事宜进行商讨。

McCallum says lifting visa requirement has its pros and cons. It can facilitate tourism, trade and exchange of human resources but it may also bring in people not desired by Canada. Visa requirement is always considered on a case-by-case bases.  In the case of Mexico, lifting visa requirement has reflected a fact that Mexico is a NAFTA partner and Mexicans didn’t need visa to come to Canada before 2008. But in the case of China, the issue has never been raised by the Chinese officials -- said McCallum, but he is happy to discuss it with Chinese officials if the issue arises during his visit to China. 

麦考镰称：“中国官员至今尚未向我提出过这一话题… 但在我访华期间，该话题可能会被提出。”

“I have never spoken to Chinese officials about this topic… Maybe it will arise when I visit China,” he said.

但由于中国政府急迫要求加国政府合作将腐败官员和在逃分子遣送回国，一问题似乎未被纳入麦考镰此次访华行程的讨论主要议题中。

But as the Chinese government eagerly seeks Canada’s corporation in bringing back fugitives and corrupted officials, the issue has not made it to the list of topics reportedly discussed during McCallum’s visit.