On the eve of the visit, Canadian human rights organizations called on Prime Minister was not avoided in China human rights issues.
Former Canadian Secretary of State, David Kilgour, in his address said that even though Harper and places human rights above economic issues, it does not affect the development of trade cooperation between Canada and China.
On December Canadian Coalition for Human Rights in China held a press conference on the forthcoming visit of Stephen Harper in China. At the press conference was called during a visit to break the deadlock the process of improving human rights in China.
Chairman of the human rights organization Amnesty International in Canada, Alexander Neve on this occasion said: "Statements like" if we raise the question of human rights, it could provoke a backlash from the Chinese side "will not affect the Canadian prime minister. In relations with China, the Canadian government must have the courage of virtue.
The fact that the mention of human rights could harm trade with China, the chairman based in Toronto Committee's support for the democratic movement in China, Cho Jung believes that contrary silence on this matter will not bring any economic benefit of Canada.