Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister of Canada: Talking About Human Rights Won't Harm Commerce and Trade (Photos)
(Clearwisdom.net) In an interview on November 21, 2006, Jason Kenney, Member of Parliament (MP), Chair of the Parliamentary Subcommittee on International Human Rights, and Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister, stated that there is no need to worry about speaking out for basic human rights and freedom. He said that for any country in the world, not only China, fundamental human rights ought to be respected.
On the same day, the Parliamentary Subcommittee on International Human Rights held the third hearing on human rights in China. Four Chinese organizations were invited to provide testimony. Thirteen Chinese organizations from Eastern Canada gathered in front of Parliament and expressed their support in public to Prime Minster Harper for his persistence in maintaining Canadian values and not giving up criticism of China's human rights record in exchange for commerce and trade.
MP Jason Kenney: Talking Human Rights Won't Harm Commerce and Trade
MP Jason Kenney said during an interview that Canadians should not be afraid of speaking out about our beliefs, fundamental human rights and human freedoms. With any country, it's not just about China. For any country in the world, fundamental human rights ought to be respected, and there is no evidence that commerce and trade are injured, damaged or reduced by taking a principled position.The Parliamentary Subcommittee on International Human Rights held the third hearing on human rights in China since October 30. Amnesty International, Tibet organization, Falun Gong, democratic groups and Chinese human rights specialists provided testimony.
On November 21, 2006, representatives of four non-governmental organizations participated and provided testimony. They were Xue Sheng, Vice President of the Federation for Democratic China, Xun Li, President of the Falun Dafa Association of Canada, Zhuozhong Guan, Chairman of Toronto's "Supporting China's Democracy Movement Society" and Zhake Kou, representative of Pen Canada.
Mr. Li, President of the Falun Dafa Association of Canada, pointed out, "Lawyer Gao Zhisheng has been called 'the conscience of Chinese lawyers.' China's Ministry of Justice rated him one of China's top ten lawyers in 2001. He is not a Falun Gong practitioner, yet he himself is currently under arrest for defending human rights in China, in particular for his three open letters to Chinese government leaders calling for an end to the persecution of Falun Gong."
Mr. Li referred to the two examples in Lawyer Gao's open letter, "These are only two accounts of the numerous atrocities suffered by Falun Gong practitioners daily in China over the past seven years. The majority of the brutal cases remain unreported."
"Recently, Hon. David Kilgour and Mr. David Matas concluded in their independent investigation report that 'there has been and continues today to be large scale organ seizures from unwilling Falun Gong practitioners' by the 'the government of China and its agencies in numerous parts of the country...' The widespread killing of Falun Gong practitioners for profit to provide organs for transplants is 'so shocking that it represents a new form of evil on this planet.'"
Public Support for Prime Minister Stephen Harper's Concern about Human Rights in China
Thirteen Chinese non-governmental organizations, including the Federation of Democratic China, Investigation Committee on the June 4 Massacre, Friends of Falun Gong, Tibet Youth Congress-Toronto, Tibetan Women's Association in Ontario, Asian Community Association, and Service Center for Quitting the CCP, held a rally in front of Parliament in Ottawa to support the Prime Minister's comment about not abandoning "important Canadian values" by toning down criticisms of China's human rights record to improve trade relations with Beijing.
MP Borys Wrzesnewskyj of the Liberal Party gave a speech to express his support to the organizations. He said that China is interested in commerce and trade with first world countries, such as Canada, US and European Union. When doing business, attention should be paid to improvement of human rights in addition to encouraging economic development.
During an interview, he commented on Chinese withdrawals from the CCP. He said if this had been paid attention to earlier, China's suppression of human rights would be less.
D.J. McGuire, President of China e-Lobby, wrote specially to the rally and stated that all Canadians should understand that PM Harper's policy has improved Canada's international image. The Canadian PM and government has demonstrated to other democratic countries what speaking to power is and why it is important to do so.
Glenn Roberson, spokesman for Canada Para-Legal, said human rights in China and Canada-China trade were equally important. Canada Para-Legal supports Mr. Harper's position on human rights in China.
Chinese writer Yuansen Chen said in an interview, "Some democratic countries abandon human rights in exchange for trade. This is tolerance of evil. The Canadian PM sees the true side of Canada-China trade. If he persists in not abandoning human rights, Canada will win in improving trade and human rights."