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Results: 1 - 15 of 62
View Marc Garneau Profile
Lib. (QC)
Mr. Chair, I thank the House for this opportunity to appear before the committee of the whole.
I would like to begin by saying a few words about the crisis we are all currently dealing with. The COVID-19 pandemic presents a unique challenge that requires all of us to do our part to overcome it here in Canada and around the world.
We all know that the pandemic has claimed lives and destroyed livelihoods all over the globe, but we must not ignore the profound impact of the pandemic on human rights. This is especially true in countries where political leaders have taken advantage of the situation to restrict civil liberties and trample on democratic rights. The pandemic has exposed and even exacerbated inequalities. Vulnerable populations were the first victims, and unfortunately too many women and children are paying the price.
At the United Nations Human Rights Council, Canada has joined in the call for human dignity and human rights, gender equality, the empowerment of women and girls, as well as inclusion. We have stood up for marginalized populations, and we have worked with our allies to hold several regimes accountable for their actions, including Sri Lanka, Venezuela, Iran, Belarus, China and Myanmar. We have also been strong proponents of digital inclusion and press freedom. The recent diversion and forced landing of a commercial airliner in Belarus reminds us that there is still a lot of work to be done.
While the world continues its frantic race to protect public health, including by developing and distributing vaccines, we must ensure that our actions are centred on human rights and universal access to health measures.
After all, this pandemic will not end for anyone until it ends for everyone. That is why Canada is supporting fair and timely access to vaccination and other public health measures. This approach will be critical to ending this pandemic.
We know that many of the priorities that I have just presented are shared by our G7 partners. Earlier this month at the G7 Foreign and Development Ministers' Meeting in London, Canada released a partnership action plan on arbitrary detention with full G7 support. The plan turns words into action and further raises the penalty for arbitrary detention. The summit covered a lot of ground. It allowed us to have meaningful talks with our counterparts on a number of pressing international issues.
On the margins of this very fruitful G7 meeting, I was also able to have constructive bilateral meetings, notably with key partners from the Indo-Pacific region. We know that the Indo-Pacific region will continue to fuel global growth in the decades to come. In this context, it is critical that we work alongside our allies to advance peace, stability and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region. In fact, when I met with my Japanese counterpart in London, we agreed on six areas of bilateral co-operation that would benefit both countries and advance common interests in the region. These six areas are the rule of law, security co-operation, energy security, health, trade promotion and environment and climate change. We have also supported efforts to strengthen peace and security on the Korean Peninsula. I had a chance to talk about this with my Korean counterpart earlier this month.
China is, of course, the major player in the region and members have all heard me say before that our bilateral relationship with China is complex and multi-dimensional. China's increasing authoritarianism and coercive diplomacy are challenges shared by all democracies around the world. I can say that many countries share our concern about the arbitrary detention of Michael Spavor and Michael Kovrig for close to two and a half years. Ensuring their safe return remains my top priority.
Our message to China is clear: The world is watching. More than ever, democratic countries need to stand together to promote values of democracy and human rights. Our approach to China must continue to evolve. We will coexist and co-operate with China on global issues such as climate change. We will compete with and challenge China to uphold international law and we will protect our national interests.
Canada has taken action in addressing arbitrary detention for diplomatic leverage. We are building a common front to oppose this abhorrent practice. Around the world, foreign nationals are being detained arbitrarily and used as bargaining chips in international relations. Such tactics expose citizens of all countries who travel, work and live abroad to greater risk. Countries from every continent are responding.
So far, almost one-third of the world's countries endorse Canada's declaration against arbitrary detention in state-to-state relations. This is a significant achievement, and it reminds countries that coercively detain citizens of another country for political gain that they will have the eyes of the world turned on them. They face the collective criticism of countries standing together in solidarity.
Arbitrary detention for diplomatic leverage is unlawful. It is unacceptable and it will not succeed. We will always stand up for Canadians in difficulty and distress abroad.
Meanwhile, the renewed tensions in the Middle East have reminded us how fragile the peace process is. Eleven days of violence caused a devastating loss of life, particularly among civilians, including women and dozens of children.
We welcomed the ceasefire in Israel and Gaza and urged further de-escalation of tensions. A sustainable long-term solution must be found for both the Palestinian and Israeli peoples. Canada firmly believes in the right of Palestinians and Israelis to live with dignity, without fear, and with their human rights respected. We support the principle of two states for two peoples, with both Israelis and Palestinians living within secure borders that are mutually respected and recognized.
Last week, we announced $25 million in funding to support Palestinian civilians in the region. Those funds will be provided to United Nations agencies and other organizations with proven track records of delivering assistance effectively.
Canada remains firmly committed to working with the international community to achieve lasting peace in the region, and we are offering our full support for the efforts to put an end to the violence and suffering.
The world is indeed facing many serious challenges that call for strong alliances and partnerships. We are using the alliances we have and building the alliances we need. Canada will continue to reinforce our bilateral and multilateral ties with traditional allies, while pursuing new collaboration with emerging partners. This effort starts with our enduring alliance with the Unites States.
This is an alliance with global reach, but it is rooted in and reliant on the security of our shared continent. It involves, among other things, a path to the modernization of NORAD as part of the road map for a renewed U.S.-Canada partnership that President Biden and the Prime Minister announced in February.
In closing, our foreign policy must continue to adapt to respond to today's challenges while reflecting our traditional values, which include promoting democracy, human rights, gender equality, inclusion and the rule of international law.
We are working with our partners to build greater respect for international law. Canada's values and interests are at the heart of everything we are doing on the international stage. I hope that I was able to provide a clear and concise summary of that today.
I thank my colleagues for their time, and I am now ready to answer their questions and listen to their comments.
View Gabriel Ste-Marie Profile
BQ (QC)
View Gabriel Ste-Marie Profile
2021-04-14 14:59 [p.5563]
Mr. Speaker, it has been five years since the Panama papers came to light, and we know that Revenu Québec recovered $21.2 million that was hidden in tax havens. That is not a lot, but it is more than the federal government was able to recover for all of Canada.
That brings me to the single tax return. The Liberals are saying that they are against it because Revenu Québec would not be able to fight tax evasion abroad. Now that we know that Revenu Québec is already doing a better job of that than Ottawa is, will the Prime Minister support the single tax return and will he agree to transfer tax information from abroad to Quebec?
View Justin Trudeau Profile
Lib. (QC)
View Justin Trudeau Profile
2021-04-14 15:00 [p.5563]
Mr. Speaker, for many months now, the Canada Revenue Agency has been very present and has been meeting the expectations of Canadians, and particularly Quebeckers, in a very direct, measurable and significant way with CERB and assistance for families and youth. We have seen how important it is to have a federal government that is present and engaged to support people in tough times. This is not the time to lose jobs in Quebec or to play sovereignty games. It is the time to work together, as we are doing now.
View Kevin Lamoureux Profile
Lib. (MB)
View Kevin Lamoureux Profile
2021-02-18 11:19 [p.4219]
Madam Speaker, I appreciate the minister's comments, and I want to pick up on the point of international partners and just how important that is.
Canada alone has a voice, but in working with other countries, that voice is enhanced. Could the minister provide his thoughts on why it is so important that we have those international partners and how that gives further strength to Canada's voice?
View Marc Garneau Profile
Lib. (QC)
Madam Speaker, I would point out that earlier this week, the declaration against arbitrary detention in state-to-state relations, a Canadian initiative, was brought forward. We, as a country, feel that it is better for us to approach issues on a multilateral basis on certain issues, and that is why we are working in concert with international partners on this very legitimate point that has been brought up today in debate.
We are happy to participate in this debate on this extremely serious subject, but it is also important for Canada to work with its international partners to move this particular issue forward to arrive at a final determination.
View Charlie Angus Profile
NDP (ON)
View Charlie Angus Profile
2021-02-18 13:03 [p.4233]
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for her speech.
I am very concerned about the Chinese government's position. Its attacks on human rights are unacceptable. Attacking Hong Kong's democracy is very serious. In particular, there is the issue of the Uighur genocide.
In my opinion, it is clear that Canada can play a key role together with its allies. We will have to work with the international community to implement a plan in response to the attacks on human rights.
Does my colleague believe that Canada must work with Europe, the United States and other countries to support the human rights of Chinese minorities?
View Christine Normandin Profile
BQ (QC)
View Christine Normandin Profile
2021-02-18 13:04 [p.4234]
Mr. Speaker, that is the very spirit of the conventions signed by many countries. In this case, the strength of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide lies in the fact that it was ratified by many countries.
When facing a world power like China, we must present a united front, and this will also let us apply pressure with regard to other matters. We spoke about Hong Kong, the situation in Tibet and the two Michaels. I completely agree with my colleague that greater international collaboration will result in more effective sanctions against China.
View Brad Vis Profile
CPC (BC)
Mr. Speaker, I will be splitting my time with the member for Stormont—Dundas—South Glengarry.
I rise today to express my serious and heartfelt concerns with and vehement opposition to the abhorrent abuse and genocide actively being perpetrated against the Uighur people and other Turkic Muslims by the Government of the People's Republic of China. The Conservative Party stands in solidarity with the Uighur community in Xinjiang, China, and with the Uighur diaspora.
Several bodies, including Canada's Subcommittee on International Human Rights as well as two American administrations, have now concluded that the Government of China is committing acts of genocide and other crimes against humanity. These acts of genocide include systemic population control, sexual violence and mass detention. Ideally, Canada is a nation unafraid to stand on the side of freedom and human rights. We in the House have done so before, having recognized and condemned seven genocides that occurred around the world during our nation's history.
Before I continue, I want to reflect briefly on a story I read recently that resonated with me. It is relayed by the book, The Boys in the Boat by Daniel Brown. It is the narrative of the U.S. Olympic rowing team and its journey to Olympic gold in the 1936 Olympics, which were held in Nazi Germany. Throughout the book, two histories play out simultaneously. The first story is about Joe Rantz and the rowing crew at Washington University. The second story revolves around the Nazi propaganda department, its desire to showcase a specific image to the world as well as some of the debate that took place in the United States prior to the Olympics, which included whether the Americans should even participate in the games.
Near the end of the book, the two storylines overlap when the rowing team explores the town of Kopenick, the location of their Olympic rowing venue. Let me quote and paraphrase from page 332 onward:
“But there was a Germany the boys could not see, a Germany that was hidden from them....They knew nothing of the tendrils of blood that had billowed in the waters of the river Spree...in June of 1933, when SA troopers rounded up hundreds of Köpenick's Jews, Social Democrats, and Catholics and tortured ninety-one of them to death....They could not see the sprawling Sachsenhausen concentration camp under construction that summer just north of Berlin, where before long more than two hundred thousand Jews, homosexuals, Jehovah’s Witnesses, Gypsies...would die....many of the Köpenickers the boys passed on the street that afternoon were doomed...destined for cattle cars and death.”
Throughout the book, Brown speaks about the lengths the Nazi regime took to showcase an image of Germany that was triumphant, modern and superior, all the while masking their hatred of others in the pursuit of racial purity and power.
Of course the Holocaust is one of the seven genocides that has been recognized in Canada's House of Commons, and now we are debating whether the people's House should recognize yet another.
Unlike the 1930s, however, the world in which we operate today is much different.
Last year the Subcommittee on International Human Rights released a statement regarding the situation of Uighurs and other Turkic Muslims. From first-hand witness testimony, it detailed mass instances of forced detention, where prisoners were refused the right to practise their religion and speak their own language; forced labour disguised as poverty reduction and skills training program, surveillance and control over every aspect of life, an effective police state; forced sterilization and population control, and, indeed, China's most recent statistics even show a massive reduction in the number of births in the Xinjiang region; and control and repression. The Xinjiang region is rich in natural resources and a strategic link to central Asian countries as part of the belt and road initiative.
These instances and sadly many other documented cases fulfill the United Nations definition of genocide under the 1948 Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, created following the revelations of the Nazi Holocaust.
We recognize the seriousness and severity of direct comparisons to the Holocaust. Tragically, the evidence is present and plain for all to see. Dr. Adrian Zenz, senior fellow in China Studies at the Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation, testified before the subcommittee that it was in fact a Holocaust 2.0, but much more sophisticated.
We have heard reference to the chilling drone video from 2019, showing hundreds of men dressed in prison garb, stencilled with the words “Kashgar detention centre” and seated in rows on the ground in a large courtyard outside a train station. They are blindfolded, their heads are shaved, their hands are bound behind their backs and they are being guarded by dozens of police officers in SWAT-like uniforms. I ask people to please watch it if they have not yet done so.
Shortly after this clip aired on the BBC, the late Rabbi Jonathan Sacks, at the time U.K.'s Chief Rabbi, stated, “As a Jew, knowing our history, the sight of people being shaven headed, lined up, boarded onto trains, and sent to concentration camps is particularly harrowing.”
Australia's Strategic Policy Institute has documented 27 forced labour camps across China using forced and displaced labour for many mainstream brands.
These instances are not rumours or one-offs, but corroborated and verified accounts. We have first-hand testimony from victims who managed to survive and escape the Chinese Communist regime of oppression and torture.
Mr. Omerbek Ali testified before the subcommittee this past July. He stated:
I was electrocuted. I was hung up. I was whipped with wires. Needles were inserted. I was beaten with rubber batons and pliers were used on me.
Ms. Gulbahar Jelilova of Kazakstan was kidnapped from her hotel and transported to prison, where she was stripped, shackled, had blood and urine samples forcibly taken and unknown pills and injections administered, pregnancy tests performed and sexual violence perpetrated against her. She relayed the threats the Chinese state, stating:
They talked to me and told me that I had to remain silent, that if I wouldn't stop talking, they would reach me, because China has long arms. They said they would reach me and kill me anywhere in the world.
Legal academic and journalist Ms. Azeezah Kanji and her colleague Mr. Mehmet Tohti, long-time Uighur rights activists, have reported on these actions as the current stage of the Chinese government's “project of settler colonization and demographic change in the resource-rich territory China refers to as 'Xinjiang'.” Tellingly, this name literally means “new frontier”. The terrifying parallels to the Lebensraum and Anschlusss terminology used by the Third Reich during the 1930s and 1940s are clear.
Kanji and Tohti cite:
...renowned scholar of settler colonialism Patrick Wolfe famously wrote that “the question of genocide is never far from discussions of settler colonialism.” In the case of China’s policies against the Uyghurs, this question of genocide is not just abstract or metaphorical, but imminent and literal.
Continuing the disturbing similarities to the meticulously organized methods employed by the Nazi state, Ms. Kanji testified to leaked official Chinese documents that prescribed mass forced sterilization and mass surveillance in the Uighur homeland.
Human Rights Watch likens the Chinese Communist Party to an “Orwellian high-tech surveillance state”. It says, “No other government is simultaneously detaining a million members of an ethnic minority for forced indoctrination and attacking anyone who dares to challenge its repression.”
Where does this leave Canada?
I was taught that being a Canadian meant our nation stood for something. Like thousands of young Canadian university students, I remember learning about the positive role that Canada's foreign policy played in the 20th century throughout such hallmarks as the 1948 signing of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Lester B. Pearson's creation of the UN Emergency Force during the Suez crisis and the role of Canadian peacekeepers. We were taught that Canada meant something internationally, that its actions were a force for good, that Canada stood above the fray as an example to the world. Canada is not only a place people want to live, it is a nation that others strive to emulate.
Now is the time for our Parliament to reflect those Canadian values, which are still par for the course in classrooms across our country. Our Prime Minister should work with his American counterparts. Canada should join the republican and democratic senators in the United States to coordinate an international response. Canada is a principled nation that believes in fundamental values, values that run contrary to the interests of the communist Chinese government and its objectives.
Turning back to the book The Boys in the Boat, in 1935, the American anti-Nazi federation called for a boycott of the Olympic games in Nazi Germany. A vote was taken at the U.S. Amateur Athletic Union to send a three-man committee to investigate the atrocities. The resolution failed 58 to 55.
Unlike 1935, we cannot claim ignorance or a lack of knowledge in the broader population. We need to demand internationally that China is held accountable for its genocidal acts. Therefore, we must choose. Canada can stay silent and allow President Xi to gain international favour and superiority through the platform of yet another Olympic games hosted by an authoritarian, genocidal and repressive regime or we can work together with our like-minded allies and call out the horrendous human rights abuses being perpetrated by Beijing against the Uighur people. After all, if there is any truth to the idea of Canada as a nation that stands on guard for freedom and human rights now would be a good time to prove it.
View Charlie Angus Profile
NDP (ON)
View Charlie Angus Profile
2021-02-18 14:01 [p.4242]
Mr. Speaker, I listened with great interest to my hon. colleague. What I find really, really concerning right now is the actions of China holding Canadian citizens hostage, which is well beyond the rule of law.
The attack against democracy in Hong Kong, to me, is a line-in-the-sand moment that is very, very concerning, in addition to what is happening with the genocide of the Uighurs. We also have another issue with the Olympics coming up.
How can we work internationally with our allies to actually put limits on this ongoing abuse of human rights and democracy by the regime in China?
View Eric Duncan Profile
CPC (ON)
Mr. Speaker, we need to work together internationally to combat this. As I mentioned, China is a powerful force. It has a lot of connections worldwide, but as I also mentioned, we have the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia. There are a growing number of countries that share the same concerns. Domestically, those countries are facing the same challenges with China that we are. The member mentioned the situation in Hong Kong. That is yet another growing challenge.
My argument to Canadians is that if we do not stand up against this, against genocide, with the whole list we spoke about, what do we stand for? At some point, we have to stand up, work together with our international colleagues on sanctions, whatever they may be, and send the message that we are not going to tolerate this from China or any other country in the world. It is about leadership and values, and these are being tested right now.
View Robert Oliphant Profile
Lib. (ON)
View Robert Oliphant Profile
2021-02-18 15:31 [p.4258]
Mr. Speaker, I will be sharing my time with the member for Kingston and the Islands.
I want to begin by thanking the member for Wellington—Halton Hills for bringing this crucially important issue to the attention of both the House and Canadians. I also want to thank him for his very thoughtful speech this morning, which outlined more than a decade of persecution of the Uighur people and other Turkic Muslims in western China.
Equally, I want to thank the member for Montarville for his clear elucidation of the importance of this Canadian Parliament continuing to take strong action on the infringement of human rights in China, and the member for St. John's East for his thoughtful understanding of this not only as a political process, which we are hearing today, but also for drawing a distinction between it and the subsequent legal actions that would be necessary to engage the whole world in ending the atrocious treatment of the Uighur people.
This is an issue I have been following closely for well over a decade. The Uighur community is small in Canada, but I am privileged to represent some of them who live in my riding of Don Valley West. I have heard first-hand their stories and worries about families, friends and colleagues who remain in Xinjiang province. My first encounter with this community was with a family facing immigration difficulties imposed on them by the previous Conservative government, when I was in opposition. I was proud to stand up for them then, as I continue to be proud to stand up for them. Their faces, stories and broken hearts weigh heavily on me today.
This issue took on a larger perspective when I first met Rebiya Kadeer, who at the time was the president of the World Uyghur Congress. Known as the “dragon fighter”, she gently, passionately and intelligently told me the story of her people. It is a story that has only gotten worse over the last decade. She is not only known as the “dragon fighter”, but also as “mother of all Uighurs”. Her legacy looms large for me whenever I raise the issue of the persecution of her people.
Let me be clear: I have been and continue to be concerned, alarmed and horrified by the reports of mass arbitrary detentions and repressive surveillance; the allegations of torture, mistreatment, forced labour and forced sterilization; and the mass arbitrary separation of children from their parents by the Government of the People's Republic of China. It is wrong, and it is yet another example of the failure of the PRC to recognize the singular importance of human rights. Human rights are the bedrock of the civilized world, and to infringe upon them will never lead to peace, harmony, prosperity or the well-being of either minority or majority populations.
In 2018, the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination raised the alarm on this issue. It noted that repression was rampant and organized, and that other violations were undertaken by senior members of the Chinese Communist Party. Though official numbers were impossible to obtain, it indicated the number of people detained may be anywhere from tens of thousands to over a million, and reports continue to emerge regarding practices of forced labour, forced sterilization and other coercive birth control measures. Other atrocities, which some have called human rights abuses, crimes against humanity, genocidal activity or genocide itself, have been widely reported.
All of this is why the Canadian government has already acted, and will continue to act, conscientiously on the international stage regarding the persecution of the Uighur people. One of the best ways to work with international partners is to do so through multilateral institutions such as the UN. Since both the drafting and adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, governments of two parties in Canada have taken an international leadership role in human rights. Human rights issues will not be solved overnight, and require vigilance and determination. That is why Canada is committed to pushing forward on issues related to China, recognizing that the China of today is not the China of even just a few years ago.
We worked at the UN Human Rights Council. In September 2020, Canada co-hosted a side event on Hong Kong. At the General Assembly's third committee on October 6, 2020, Canada and 38 other countries co-signed a joint statement on human rights in Xinjiang and Hong Kong. Also, through China's most recent UN Universal Periodic Review in 2018, Canada provided frank input on China's human rights record.
At a time when many are questioning the future of multilateralism or of diplomacy altogether, Canada is committed to playing an active role in shaping the norms and engaging the institutions that underpin our global community.
However, we know that only so much can be changed in the halls of power. That is why Canada also engages with diaspora communities, activists, civil society, journalists and human rights defenders to hear the stories of persecuted people around the world. That is how the world knows about the crackdowns on freedom of assembly and suppression of democracy in Hong Kong. That is how the world knows about restrictions of freedom, language, culture and religion, and the destruction of historic buildings and temples in Tibet. That is how the world knows about China's abuses against the Uighurs and other minorities in Xinjiang, which have all been very well enumerated today.
The mounting evidence of a systematic campaign of repression cannot be ignored. We take egregious human rights violations very seriously. We take allegations of genocide very seriously. The international community has to work together in order to investigate the egregious abuses taking place in Xinjiang. In the 21st century, there is no excuse to be unaware of these issues.
Canada is committed to engaging unilaterally, as well as alongside our partners, to advocate for the human rights of those in China. We will continue to call for unfettered access to Xinjiang for international independent observers, as we did in July 2019, June 2020 and at the UN most recently last October. We will continue to oppose China's prosecution and persecution on the basis of religion or belief for Muslims, Christians, Tibetan Buddhists and Falun Gong practitioners, as we did in the 2018 UPR.
We will continue to support restored respect for civil and political rights in Hong Kong, which we have done repeatedly with like-minded allies. We will continue to oppose the death penalty in China and everywhere, seeking clemency for Canadians facing that sentence.
Finally, we will continue to work tirelessly to bring Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor home. This is something that, very frankly, motivates my work every day of my life.
It is in this spirit that I am not only speaking in this debate but also listening to the wisdom, experience, passion and care being offered by my colleagues in every party today. Canadians expect their Parliament and their government to stand up against injustices in Canada and around the world. While we may sometimes disagree about how and when to do that, I know that we all agree that Canada needs to both speak and act, to continue to fight for justice and human rights in Canada and around the world. Today, we hold the Uighur people in our thoughts, minds and hearts to do what is best and right for them.
View Kevin Lamoureux Profile
Lib. (MB)
View Kevin Lamoureux Profile
2021-02-18 16:30 [p.4266]
Madam Speaker, I will be sharing my time with the member for Scarborough—Guildwood.
I will start by acknowledging Irwin Cotler, who I would classify as a good friend of mine. For years we sat on the opposition benches and I truly benefited by listening to his many interjections in the House and the talks we had with each other. I have a deep amount of respect for everything he does on the issue of human rights.
It is always encouraging when the House of Commons witnesses the coming together of political parties to recognize and condemn human rights violations. However, there is a sad part to this.
It is very shameful that the last two speakers and others have taken this opportunity to take cheap political shots at the Prime Minister of Canada. If they were genuine in wanting to allow for a healthy debate on this issue, they could have forgone the cheap, unfair, untrue shots at the Prime Minister, let alone the Minister of Foreign Affairs at times. I do not say that lightly.
Let us think about it. The Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide was adopted in the United Nations General Assembly back in December of 1948. I understand that resolution took effect in 1952. Over 150 countries signed onto that agreement. Earlier I posed a question for the member of the opposition Conservative Party who brought forward the motion. I asked him how many countries had made the declaration that it was a genocide. The member responded that the U.S.A. was the first and only, and the new administration has reaffirmed Donald Trump's position on it.
Are the Conservatives saying that those 150 nations and their leaders should be ashamed of themselves because they are not informed or aware of what is taking place in China? Are they that naive to believe that world leaders around the globe are not aware of what is happening in China? Of course they are. The promotion of protection of human rights are integral to our foreign policy. All Canadians take human rights very seriously. It is part of our values.
We do not need to be told by Conservative political spinners that we are doing a poor job when we have in fact done a good job of ensuring that the interests of Canadians and values we hold so close in our hearts are well represented around the world. The Prime Minister of Canada, in whatever part of the world he happens to be in or whatever group he is speaking to, will talk about the important issue of human rights and the values Canadians have for it. The Minister of Foreign Affairs, whether the current or previous minister, is doing likewise, ensuring that the values Canadians hold so close are being espoused around the world.
Yes, the United States did classify it as a genocide. I hear members around the chamber talk about the subcommittee on foreign affairs and its fine work. Even Liberal members have talked about it being a genocide.
I posed a question for my New Democratic about possibly having that committee deal with this motion. I asked if there would be any harm in allowing the foreign affairs committee to take a look at it, given its very nature.
China is not a country of five million people. China has over 1.2 billion or 1.3 billion people. The economic and social tentacles in China scour the world. Do we think it is that simple? I do not believe that for a moment. I would have liked to see this motion go to the foreign affairs committee before it came to the House, because we could have benefited from seeing what that committee might come back with. The committee has easily demonstrated it can in fact put party politics to the side and come up with recommendations. It has demonstrated that.
When I posed the question for the member for St. John's East, his response to me was “Perhaps we could have done this a week from now or two weeks from now after the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development has dealt with the report of the subcommittee, but we are aware of the essence of it”. That is what the New Democratic member had to say when I presented what I thought was a fairly simple suggestion.
The Conservatives are more focused on trying to score political points than they are on the human rights issue. I know that might upset some, and my apologies for those who are actually being genuine on this. However, not all Conservatives are genuine in wanting this to happen. They are more interested in trying to bash the Prime Minister and give a false impression that this government is not doing what it should be on this file. Nothing could be further from the truth.
It was interesting to hear the member for Wellington—Halton Hills. On February 8, he was on Power Play, CTV. If we declare it a genocide, there is an obligation for us to take some actions. I believe that to be the case. The member for Wellington—Halton Hills said on Power Play, “Well, we're not saying that a boycott is necessarily the way to go.”
We believe that a genocide is taking place, but our primary responsibility is to protect Canadians and their interests. As a small country relative to a superpower, China, we cannot act alone. That has been made clear to us over the last several years. Whatever we do has to be in concert with our allies, including the United States, Japan, Australia and so many others. Everything should be on the table as we work to defend these interests and values.
Let us look at what the Minister of Foreign Affairs said a bit earlier today about working along with international partners. It does not mean we cannot pass this motion. However, some of the commentary that has been put on the record today to try to politicize what is taking place is unfair. The Minister of Foreign Affairs talked about an agreement that was achieved with many countries collectively. This is in regard to the two Michaels who are still in captivity in China. The minister stood with nearly 60 other countries at the launch of the declaration against arbitrary detention in the state-to-state relations. That is a clear demonstration that this government understands and appreciates, as I believe most members do if we take away the political spin, working with international partners to try to resolve the many issues that China brings to our table. This is the direction we need to take.
The stories and examples are very heartbreaking and they give a high sense of anger in all who speak on the issue of genocide. I do not understand how a human being, let alone a government, can be so cruel to another human being. I will never accept that, but the Prime Minister—
View Michael Chong Profile
CPC (ON)
Madam Speaker, I have been listening to the speeches all day today and taking notes. I appreciate the member's comments on the amendment and the motion in front of the House.
In the member's opinion, what are the most effective measures that democracies could take in concert to put pressure on China to change? Is it Magnitsky sanctions on particular Chinese officials? Is it using trade sanctions? Is it other forms of pressure, such as diplomatic pressure? Is it a reform of multilateral institutions to put in place mechanisms to better hold China accountable for its infractions of international law and our international rules-based system? I am wondering what in his opinion would be the most effective tools available to democracies to effect change in China.
View John McKay Profile
Lib. (ON)
Mr. Speaker, my immediate response is all of the above. The member and I had something to do with the creation of the Magnitsky sanctions in Canada. I like what they do in terms of targeting the most egregious perpetrators of these kinds of human rights abuses. However, the limitation of the Magnitsky sanctions is that the Government of China has a pervasive government policy to carry on, as it does, with trade deals.
If there was a mechanism by which realistic trade sanctions could be coordinated by trading nations that share the same values, I would be very supportive of it. Regrettably, however, Canada is a rather small player in a rather big pond, and unless and until we have pretty well everyone in place, our unilateral responses will be brushed off by the Government of China, with possibly gross reactions that are counterproductive to the best interests of the people we hope to help.
View Arnold Viersen Profile
CPC (AB)
View Arnold Viersen Profile
2021-02-16 12:30 [p.4113]
Madam Speaker, I know this is something that my hon. colleague is very passionate about at well. I want to thank him for bringing up the Palermo protocol, something our government brought in back in 2013, I believe. One of the issues, though, is that Canada is not fully aligned with the Palermo protocol around the issue of fear; that people who have been trafficked must go to the police and say that they are living in fear. I would like to see removed that removed.
Does my hon. colleague have an opinion on that?
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