Article content

OTTAWA — Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer is urging Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to step up inspections on all products from China and to consider slapping tariffs on imports from the Asian country.

In a letter Friday, Scheer pressed Trudeau to take a harder line with Canada’s second-biggest trading partner at a time when the countries are locked in a diplomatic dispute that has dragged on for more than seven months.

We apologize, but this video has failed to load.

tap here to see other videos from our team. Try refreshing your browser, or Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer calls for more inspections on Chinese imports, possible tariffs Back to video

Since the start of the conflict, China has detained two Canadians on espionage charges and has taken trade-related actions against goods from Canada that carry economic consequences.

“There is no other way to put this: Canada is being bullied by the Chinese government and you have done nothing to stand up for Canada in response,” Scheer wrote to Trudeau in the letter, which his office released publicly.