Canada and the world can influence China, but not while wearing blinkers

When lawyers representing Jimmy Lai, the British businessman who founded the pro-democracy newspaper Apple Daily - and who now sits in a Hong Kong prison cell as a result - met earlier this month with The Globe's editorial board, the words "ludicrous" and "absurd" came up several times. The lawyers provided updates on the widespread international calls for Mr. Lai's release - by the United States and British governments, but shamefully not by Canada's - and on his unfolding trial. Opening arguments began in December and offered a revealing window into the prosecution's case, said Caoilfhionn Gallagher and Jonathan Price,…