Special Committee on Canada-China Relations

Comité spécial sur les relations sino-canadiennes

For immediate release

Ottawa, February 25, 2021 -

Today, the House of Commons Special Committee on Canada–China Relations presented its interim report entitled The Breach of Hong Kong’s High Degree of Autonomy: A Situation of International Concern. The interim report includes 12 recommendations to the Government of Canada.

The Special Committee’s focus on the situation in Hong Kong reflects Canada’s long-standing ties to Hong Kong, which is home to some 300,000 Canadians.

For many years, there have been concerns about the erosion of Hong Kong’s high degree of autonomy, which – under an international treaty, the 1984 Sino-British Joint Declaration – was to be preserved until 2047. As this interim report makes clear, China’s decision to impose a sweeping National Security Law on Hong Kong has had a chilling effect, including by curtailing rights and freedoms guaranteed by the Joint Declaration and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. The National Security Law has also put Canadians outside of Hong Kong at risk through its claim to extraterritorial application.

In response to these concerns, the Special Committee is recommending that Canada pursue both leadership and coordination with like-minded democracies. That includes the application of targeted sanctions toward China, including consideration of Magnitsky sanctions against those responsible for – or complicit in – gross violations of human rights, freedoms and the rule of law in Hong Kong. As well, the Special Committee is recommending further measures to welcome Hong Kong people to Canada through immigration and asylum pathways.

With the testimony revealing a pattern of threats and intimidation against human rights defenders, activists and peaceful protestors in Canada, the Special Committee is also urging the Government of Canada to communicate to China’s Ambassador that any interference with the rights and freedoms of people in Canada is unacceptable, will not be tolerated, and will result in serious consequences for those responsible.

Finally, considering the risks that were involved for some witnesses, the Special Committee wishes to underline the importance of the testimony and documents it received, without which this interim report would not have been possible.