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431-00008 (Foreign affairs)

Paper petition

Original language of petition: English

PETITION TO THE HOUSE OF COMMONS IN PARLIAMENT ASSEMBLED

We, the undersigned residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:

Whereas, it has been 17 years since the Chinese communist regime launched a persecution to "eradicate" Falun Gong—a spiritual practice centred on the principles of truthfulness, compassion, and forbearance;

Whereas, millions of Falun Gong practitioners have been arbitrarily detained, including family members of Canadians. The mass extrajudicial imprisonment, forced labour, torture, rape, and killing along with hate propaganda have been reported by major human rights organizations;

Whereas, an update report released in June 2016 by three reputable investigators David Kilgour, David Matas and Ethan Gutmann indicates that prisoners of conscience, primarily Falun Gong practitioners, have been killed on demand to fuel a massive state-run transplant industry, supplying most of the organs for an estimated tens of thousands transplants a year in Chinese hospitals since 2000.

Whereas, the U.S. House of Representatives and European Parliament passed resolutions in June 2016 and December 2013 respectively condemning and calling for an immediate end to China's systematic and statesanctioned organ harvesting from prisoners of conscience, including Falun Gong. In February 2015, Canada's Parliamentary Subcommittee on International Human Rights unanimously passed a similar motion; and

Whereas, since May 2015, over 200,000 Chinese citizens have filed criminal complaints against former Communist Party leader Jiang Zemin who orchestrated the persecution of Falun Gong;

Therefore, we, the undersigned, request that the Canadian Parliament and government:

  • Establish measures to stop the Chinese regime's mass murder of innocent people for their organs, including but not limited to introducing Canadian legislation to ban organ tourism and criminalize those involved;
  • Take every opportunity to call for an end to the persecution of Falun Gong.

Response by the Minister of Small Business, Export Promotion and International Trade

Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable François-Philippe Champagne

The promotion and protection of human rights is an integral part of Canadian foreign policy and a priority in our government’s engagement with China. Canada has consistently called on China to respect, protect and promote freedom of expression, of assembly and association, and of freedom of religion or belief for all Chinese citizens.

Canada has publicly voiced concerns about the intimidation and repression of ethnic minority and religious groups, as well as Falun Gong practitioners, and will continue to do so at every appropriate opportunity.

Canadian engagement on human rights encompasses high level visits; public statements; representations on specific issues and cases of concern bilaterally as well as in multilateral forums; interventions and advocacy by the Embassy of Canada; as well as outreach to civil society.

The Government of Canada has presented concerns regarding human rights practices directly to Chinese authorities on numerous occasions. These concerns are raised with the Government of China at the highest levels, including during the visit of Chinese Premier Li Keqiang to Canada in September 2016, the Prime Minister’s visits to China in August 2016 and in December 2017, the Governor General’s visit to China in July 2017, and during a visit of the Foreign Affairs Minister in August 2017. The Prime Minister and Premier Li also had a frank and open discussion on human rights, freedom of expression and freedom of religion as part of the third Canada-China Annual Leaders’ Dialogue in November 2018.

In July 2018, Canada co-sponsored a statement, at the Ministerial Meeting to Advance Religious Freedom where parties indicated their concern about the significant restrictions on religious freedom in China and called on the Chinese government to respect the human rights of all individuals. The text stated that many members of religious minority groups in China face severe repression and discrimination because of their beliefs, including Falun Gong practitioners.

On November 6, 2018, Canada made public recommendations to China on human rights as part of its Universal Periodic Review at the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva. At that time, Canada called on China to end the prosecution and persecution on the basis of religion or belief, including for Falun Gong practitioners.

The promotion, protection and respect of human rights are core priorities in our foreign policy. Canada will continue to raise its concerns about the human rights situation in China and we will continue to call on China to live up to its international obligations.

Presented to the House of Commons
Garnett Genuis (Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan)
December 9, 2019 (Petition No. 431-00008)
Government response tabled
January 22, 2020
Photo - Garnett Genuis
Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan
Conservative Caucus
Alberta

Only validated signatures are counted towards the total number of signatures.