Peter Kent, the Canadian cabinet minister for Latin America, has been an outspoken critic of the Cuban dictatorial regime's human rights violations. In this Canadian news article, Mr. Kent tells us how ineffective "constructive engagement" with a criminal dictatorship really is.

In an interview with Canwest News Service and Global News, Kent said the quiet diplomacy or "constructive engagement" of past Liberal governments has not worked and that Canadians expect their government to conduct human rights discussions in the open, not behind closed doors.

Not happy with anyone unwilling to ignore the abuses and murders of the past fifty-years, the Cuban regime has refused Mr. Kent entry.

Kent learned 10 days ago that his planned trip to Havana was no longer possible. The Cuban government gave no clear explanation other than it would not be able to accommodate him. It is unclear whether Kent's tough language -- as well as some frank talk from Prime Minister Stephen Harper about Cuba's totalitarian state -- rubbed the Cuban communist regime the wrong way.

None of this is surprising: whenever you have anyone exposing the regime's oppressive practices, the regime simply tries to shut them up. Just like they try to shut up the dissidents, the Cuban exiles trying to expose them, and any other persons, organizations, or governments that shine the light of truth on their vile repression.

But alas, Mr. Kent is Canadian, after all, and although he recognizes the myriad of human rights violations the Castro regime is responsible for, he cannot help but to try and find the true villains. It is not Castro, you see--it is those evil Americans and their embargo.

"We are very understanding of the Cuban situation. They have been isolated through the years of the Cold War by the Helms Burton embargo, but Cuba stands today at a crossroads of history and Canada."

To quote Humberto "el cirujano" Fontova: Un-freakin'-real