Ontario has had a succession of premiers who talk a good game of standing up for human

rights, but have been put to shame by an unlikely, far-right Conservative prime minister.

Stephen Harper expressed his concern at China's abuse of rights publicly before, during and after his visit to the Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation summit in Vietnam, despite objections that this would hinder efforts to promote trade.

There are questions about precisely what he said to the Chinese president in their brief private meeting and his motives, because Harper has not been renowned as an advocate of rights at home, particularly for aboriginals, but there is no doubt he raised awareness of abuse in that country.

This contrasts with the lack of enthusiasm for speaking up against abuse that Ontario premiers of all parties have shown on visits to China.

Liberal Premier Dalton McGuinty, who went last year, has said rights have to be protected everywhere and his current biggest issue is rushing through an overhaul of Ontario human rights law, and critics say he is refusing enough time to debate it.

When he went to China, MPPs were being reminded of that country's abuses by daily demonstrations outside its consulate near the legislature, and the United Nations had expressed new concerns at its jailing of minority leaders, labour activists and journalists and a huge rate of executions.

McGuinty did not mention such distasteful issues to the Chinese vice-president he met, but instead gave a vague lecture at a Beijing law school on the theme human rights and the rule of law are linked and Ontario could best contribute to promoting respect for rights in China by promoting respect for the law, which could offend no one.

McGuinty was much more alarmed that some unscrupulous Chinese wineries were making ice wine and labeling it "made in Canada" and - showing a fine grasp of priorities - he was committed to stop this fraud.

McGuinty said he also was convinced that the Chinese were moving toward democracy and freedom, but when pressed, could not cite an example, and it was hardly a stirring call to improve rights there.

Mike Harris as Progressive Conservative premier visited China twice. Years earlier, in opposition, he had set out his credo any Ontario premier who went must protest against its rights abuses.

New Democrat premier Bob Rae was contemplating a trade mission there in 1994 and Harris said he would endorse it only if Rae took a clear stand on China's human rights record.

Harris said trade could help liberalize China, "but pursuing trade cannot be an excuse to downplay human rights abuses."

He said an Ontario premier is significant enough that his comments are noticed internationally and human rights are important, so Rae should send a clear message that Ontario was committed to demand them overseas.

Harris sneered that Rae had to protest, because he had been one of the world's most outspoken champions of human rights. The Ontario NDP has a long history of protesting against abuse of rights abroad more than other parties.

Rae went on his visit to China with a party that included Liberal prime minister Jean Chrétien and said that Chrétien had raised the issue.

Rae said he had concluded China was too big, complex and powerful to be forced on rights and he had seen nothing that suggested Ontario could influence it.

Harris went promoting trade in 1998 and there was no evidence that he raised the issue he had called so important with either Chinese government officials or others he met.

Harris went again with Chrétien in 2001, when Chrétien said publicly that Canadians were concerned at China banning freedom of expression and imprisoning people for their religious beliefs.

But Harris did not add any criticisms of his own and his visit is remembered mainly because at a state dinner he was accompanied by an attractive girlfriend in a skirt slit slightly higher than the raised eyebrows of goggling Asian dignitaries - the premier may not have had political battles on his mind.