On October 2, the Macdonald-Laurier Institute hosted a roundtable discussion, moderated by senior fellow Charles Burton, in partnership with Canada Tibet Committee, Uygur Rights Advocacy Project and Alliance Canada Hong Kong to raise public awareness and draw attention and action from the Canadian government on a number of initiatives to counter China’s influence operations in Canada.
Whereas October 1st marks 74 years since the People’s Republic of China was founded, for Uyghurs, Tibetans, Hong-Kongers, and pro-democracy ethnic Chinese, it marks the start of the imposition of violent communist ideology and genocide.
During the discussion, panelists Sherap Therchin, Exec. Director of the Canada Tibet Committee; Mehmet Tohti, Exec. Director of the Uyghur Rights Advocacy Project; and Cherie Wong, Exec. Director of Alliance Canada Hong Kong, called for prohibiting forced labour products in Canada, continuing support for Uyghur refugee resettlement, institutional accountability and divestment from companies and entities tied to the Uyghur genocide, protection of Tibetan and Uyghur Children from forced residential boarding schools, holding officials accountable for human rights atrocities, and supporting Hong Konger, Tibetan and Uyghur-Canadians facing transnational repression.
