TNAG-1821-FCO40-2584-Emigration-from-Hong-Kong-1988 — Page 188

CONFIDENTIAL FM HONG KONG

TO PRIORITY FCO

TELNO 1084

OF 14100UZ MARCH 88

INFO PRIORITY

OTTAWA

CONFIDENTIAL

HUD 341/5

TOP COPY

@ DIST ?

007431

MDLIAN 1991

EMIGRATION FROM HONG KONG

I

HAVE HEARD INDIRECTLY FROM ONE OF THE MEMBERS OF THE HONG KONG DELEGATION AT THE RECENT DAVOS CONFERENCE THAT THE CANADIAN MINISTER OF FINANCE INVITED A MEMBER OF THE PRIVATE SECTOR PARTICIPANTS FROM HONG KONG TO A PRIVATE MEETING TO SEEK THEIR VIEWS ON QUOTE HOW TO SKIM MORE HONG KONG TALENT AND CAPITAL TO CANADA UNQUOTE.

2. I DO NOT THINK THAT WE SHOULD ALLOW THIS TO PASS WITHOUT A MATTER FOR COMMENT. WHILE IMMIGRATION POLICY IS ENTIRELY THE CANADIAN GOVERNMENT, TO MAKE A SPECIFIC ATTEMPT TO LURE A WAY FROM HONG KONG THE IMPORTANT AND VOLATILE PROFESSIONAL MIDDLE CLASS IS SURELY NOT CONSISTENT WITH CANADA'S POLICY OF

FURTHERMORE THE SORT OF SUPPORT FOR THE JOINT DECLARATION.

FINANCE ALL TOO EASILY ACTION ALLEGEDLY TAKEN BY THE MINISTER OF GETS INTO THE PAPERS AND FUELS DAMAGING STORIES ABOUT A BRAIN

DRAIN.

3. YOU MAY FEEL THAT IT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE FOR HBC OTTAWA TO HAVE A QUIET WORD WITH THE MINISTER OF FINANCE AND POINT THIS OUT. THE POLITICAL ADVISER COULD ALSO SPEAK TO THE CANADIAN COMMISSIONER IN HONG KONG TO LET HER KNOW THAT WE WERE MAKING SUCH

AN APPROACH.

WILSON

YYYY

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