Ottawa, October 2, 2024 – As part of diaspora community consultation on foreign interference by Justice Marie-Josée Hogue, CTC director Sherap Therchin testified before the commission and spoke on the issue of misinformation and disinformation affecting Tibetan-Canadians and shared suggestions to mitigate those challenges.
In his testimony, Sherap Therchin focused on highlighting the issue of foreign interference by the People’s Republic of China (PRC) in Canada, specifically through misinformation and disinformation targeting the Tibetan community. He cited instances where PRC delegates and proxy organizations disseminated misleading narratives about the human rights situation in Tibet, such as on whereabouts of the 11th Panchen Lama and false claims of religious freedom and cultural preservation. Sherap emphasized the asymmetry in the Canada-China relationship, where Chinese officials freely propagate their messages in Canada while Canadian delegates face significant restrictions in China. He advocated for the principle of reciprocity to ensure fair and equal treatment between the two countries. Additionally, he addressed the pervasive fear among Tibetan and other diaspora communities caused by foreign interference, which leads to self-censorship and psychological stress. To alleviate this, he suggested implementing community-level capacity-building programs and raising awareness to empower individuals to exercise their rights without fear of foreign state repercussions.
The commission which was established the Government of Canada on Septembver 7, 2023 completed its first phase of study, with the release of a report on May 3, 2024. The ongoing second phase of the study includes hearing directly from diaspora groups affected by foreign interferences in Canada.
Prior to speaking at the public inquiry commission on foreign interference, Sherap testified on the same issue at the Parliamentary Committee on Public Safety and National Security, and on Senate Committee on National Security in June 2024.
Full video of the testimony at the public inquiry: https://www.cpac.ca/inquiries-on-cpac/episode/public-inquiry-into-foreign-interference–october-2-2024?id=33b35c57-0c12-413b-9382-7d5b1bc287e0
Sherap’s speech from [5.22.23 to 5.27.58] and [5.43.57 to 5.47.04];
Complete transcript of the testimony: https://canadatibet.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/FI-Public-Inquiry.pdf