Who committed the first snub, Harper?

Dan McTeague, Opposition critic for foreign affairs and former parliamentary secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, with special responsibility for Canadians abroad asks a very pertinent question: (All emphasis mine)

One wonders why Mr. Harper did not see fit to raise Mr. Celil's case with Chinese President Hu Jintao when they first met in St. Petersburg last July during the G-8? If Mr. Harper truly cared–or even knew–about Mr. Celil then, he would have raised the case right there, instead of having his aides spin a story later on that it was the Chinese that gave the cold shoulder.

I think that deserves an answer, particularly since Harper has been the one which created the chill with China. His human rights line is hardly believable anyway.

Rather then swallow Harper's vision of international affairs, our media should ask the prime minister just how many invitations he has received from the Chinese for a meeting since he assumed power. If sources in Foreign Affairs are to be believed, there have been at least two formal invitations for a high-level meeting–one arrived shortly after the Tories came to power. As the story goes, after collecting dust for some time, an answer finally was transmitted to the Chinese that the prime minister was too busy with internal affairs.

Yeah right. What was he doing? Organizing his media policy?

Kabuki theatre. This is the style over substance that has become the trademark of this bunch of incompetent asses.