Liberal MP Paul Chiang said something profoundly unpardonable. Liberal Leader Mark Carney was perfectly content to pardon him for it. But public outrage ensued, so Chiang fell on his sword and resigned. End of story.

Except it isn’t the end of the story. It’s only going to get darker from here on in, as China waits, hopes and plans for Canada to return to the Trudeau-era embrace of the motherland.