Members of the House of Commons have voted to strike a special committee to scrutinize all parts of the frayed Canada-China relationship, a move likely to put the Liberal government’s foreign policy in the hot seat.

On the day that marked one year since Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor were detained in China, the Conservatives used their first Opposition Day of the new Parliament to table a motion calling for the creation of an all-party panel of MPs to examine consular, economic, legal, security and diplomatic relations.

Opposition members from the Tories, Bloc Québécois, NDP, and Greens all backed the motion in what was an early exercise of opposition power in the first major vote of the new minority Parliament. Independent MP Jody Wilson-Raybould also supported it.

The final tally was 171 in support versus 148 against. The Liberals, who were handed their first defeat in the minority House, voted against the motion.

Tory foreign affairs critic Erin O’Toole, who tabled the motion, told reporters on Tuesday morning that in light of the ongoing diplomatic row and what he described as Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s failure to stand up for Canada’s interests on the China file, such a committee is needed to provide accountability.

In a statement released after the vote, O’Toole said the motion is an example of how the Conservatives will use “every tool possible” to hold the Trudeau government to “inaction on the world stage.”

“The vote today was an opportunity for Justin Trudeau and his Liberal government to work with opposition parties to find a solution to these problems and deliver results for Canadians,” he said. “Instead of moving forward on these key issues, the Trudeau Liberals chose to vote against the motion and cover up their failed track record when it comes to dealing with the Chinese government.”

In debate in the House chamber throughout the day, Conservative and NDP MPs expressed support for the committee and offered criticisms of the Liberal government’s approach to Beijing. They also highlighted human rights concerns with the Chinese regime.

Bloc members had initially expressed reluctance in supporting the motion over concerns the special committee would turn into a partisan arena. The party was particularly worried about a section of the motion spelling out power for the committee to order Trudeau, relevant Liberal ministers and Canada’s ambassador Dominic Barton to appear as witnesses.

Liberal members, meanwhile, said existing House committees, such as ones for foreign affairs and international trade, suffice for examining the China file.

O’Toole’s motion calls for 12 members — six Liberals, four Tories and one member each from the Bloc and the NDP — to comprise the committee. It asks for the committee to convene for their first meeting no later than Jan. 20 and provides them powers to call witnesses such as experts and government officials.

The House’s decision comes one year after bilateral relations soured over the arrest of Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou in Canada and detentions of Kovrig and Spavor, a move widely seen as retaliatory punishment by China on Canada. Meng faces possible extradition to the United States to face criminal charges over her company’s alleged circumvention of American sanctions on Iran.

In the year since the diplomatic row was sparked, China has also punished Canada by restricting certain agricultural exports.

Another question is Ottawa’s ongoing review of whether Huawei should be barred from work on Canada’s 5G network. The U.S. government has been lobbying its Five Eyes partners to ban the Chinese telecom giant from such efforts over national security concerns.

Criticism have increased in Canada over Beijing’s handling of anti-government protests in Hong Kong and treatment of religious minorities such as Uighurs in China’s northwest.

READ MORE: Senators to table motion calling for sanctioning Chinese officials for actions in Hong Kong and Xinjiang

Some China observers, including former Canadian ambassadors to the country, are now calling for Ottawa to take a hard line on Beijing in light of these developments.

In a press conference in Beijing on Tuesday, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said the investigation into accusations that Kovrig and Spavor were spying on China are now complete and “they have been transferred to procuratorial authorities for investigation and prosecution.”

The comments hint that trials will soon begin for the two Canadians. Such proceedings are often conducted in secret and conviction is extremely likely. Kovrig and Spavor are reportedly detained in poor conditions, where lights are left on 24 hours a day.

China’s embassy in Ottawa also slammed a Canadian government statement released on Monday attributed to Foreign Affairs Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne that called the detentions of Kovrig and Spavor “arbitrary.”

The embassy’s remarks accused Champagne’s ministry, Global Affairs Canada, of making “irresponsible remarks.” It said the Chinese government expressed strong dissatisfaction with the statement and has made representations to the Canadian side.

“China urges Canada to respect the rule of law, respect China’s judicial sovereignty, and stop making irresponsible remarks,” it read in Mandarin.

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