SDIR Committee Meeting

The Subcommittee on International Human Rights of the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development met in camera at 1:13 p.m. this day, in Room 253-D, Centre Block, the Chair, Scott Reid, presiding.

The Subcommittee resumed consideration of a draft report.

It was agreed, — That the evidence received by the Subcommittee in relation to its meeting, held on Thursday, March 6, 2008, with Shirin Ebati, Nobel Prize Laureate, during the 2nd Session of the 39th Parliament, be deemed adduced by the Subcommittee in the current session.

It was agreed, — That, in the opinion of this House, the Prime Minister should, in his coming visit to China, privately raise, at the highest level, the issue of the continued imprisonment and forced confinement in China of sixteen Prisoners of Conscience who have close family ties to Canada, and to emphasize that Canadians would be more willing to strengthen existing ties between Canada and China if these individuals (namely, Xin Huang [Mother of Xiaonan Zeng of Toronto]; Yue Yao [Wife of Wenyu Liu of Calgary]; Yiming Zhang [Son-in-law of Xiulian Chen of Toronto]; Mingli Lin [Brother of Shenli Lin of Toronto]; Yunhe Zhang [Sister of Tianxiao Zhang of Toronto]; Fengjiang Tan [Nephew of Wenhua Pei of Toronto]; Yu Jin [Brother of Cai Jin of Vancouver]; Shumei Cai [Mother of Yue Shen of Montreal]; Zhiqiang Han [Step father of Yue Shen of Montreal]; Shenlun Wang [Cousin of Benda Liu of Waterloo]; Zhinhong Yu [Cousin of Benda Liu of Waterloo]; Zhiyuan Wang [Cousin of Benda Liu of Waterloo]; Wang Bingzhang [Father of Ti-Anna Wang of Montreal]; Huseyincan Celil [Husband of Kamila Telendibayeva of Hamilton]; Ying Zhang [Daughter in Law of Jinling Huang of Calgary]) were reunited in Canada with their families.

At 2:09 p.m., the Subcommittee adjourned to the call of the Chair.