Ottawa, May 10, 2022: Canada’s Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade has called for renewal of the stalled Sino-Tibetan dialogue.[1] The call came as Tibet’s political leader, Sikyong Penpa Tsering, concluded his first visit to Ottawa since being elected as Sikyong in May 2021.
The motion achieved unanimous support with each of Canada’s political parties voting in favour and no votes against. The motion was introduced immediately following Sikyong Penpa Tsering’s testimony before the Committee.
“This motion is important not only for Tibetans in Canada,” said Sherap Therchin, Executive Director of the Canada Tibet Committee, “but it is especially meaningful for Tibetans inside Tibet who will now be reassured that the international community has not forgotten them.”
The motion also directs the Government of Canada to provide a response to Sikyong’s testimony before the Committee. The Government is directed to table its response in the Canadian House of Commons. Sikyong’s testimony included a review of past Sino-Tibetan dialogue initiatives [2] and an update on the current human rights situation in Tibet.
The Government of Canada has changed its position on Tibet’s political status several times since China took control of the country in 1959. Sikyong Penpa Tsering reminded members of the Committee that despite his government’s current middle-way approach, Tibet was once a fully independent state.[3]
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[1] Full text of the motion: “That this committee call for dialogue between representatives of the Tibetan people (his Holiness the Dalai Lama or his representatives and/or the Central Tibetan Administration) and the government of the People’s Republic of China with a view to enabling Tibet to exercise genuine autonomy within the framework of the Chinese constitution; report this motion to the House, and request the government table a response to the report.”
[2] For more information about the Sino-Tibetan dialogue, visit https://tibet.net/important-issues/sino-tibetan-dialogue/
[3] For example, see “Tibet Brief 20/20” by Michael van Walt van Praag and Miek Boltjes. Executive Summary available at https://usanasfoundation.com/tibet-brief-2020-by-michael-van-walt-executive-summary