Ottawa, November 23, 2023 – The democratically elected leader of the Tibetan people, Sikyong Penpa Tsering, concluded a four-day engagement in Ottawa today. This program was marked by a series of strategic meetings with various influential figures, including Members of Parliament, government officials, think tank representatives, and community organizations.
Engagement with Cabinet Ministers and Members of Parliament
In a concerted effort to engage with Canadian parliamentarians across all political parties, Sikyong Penpa Tsering held discussions with a total of 32 Members of Parliament. This included meetings with four Cabinet Ministers: Minister Arif Virani, Minister Dominic LeBlanc, Minister Kamal Khera, and Minister Gary Anandasangaree. Additionally, Sikyong had the opportunity to meet with the co-chairs of the Parliamentary Friends of Tibet, MP Garnett Genuis and MP James Maloney. Further engagements included discussions with MP Rob Oliphant, the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, and MP Anita Vandenbeld, the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of International Development.
A notable meeting was hosted by the Leader of the Bloc Quebecois, Mr. Yves-Francois Blanchet, which included a parliamentary luncheon. The focus of this meeting was to explore ways in which the party could bolster Canada’s support for Tibet. Mr. Blanchet was joined by MPs Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe and Julie Vignola.
Another highlight was meeting with Canada’s Speaker of the House, The Honourable Greg Fargus. Sikyong who has also served as the Speaker of the Tibetan Parliament in Exile expressed best wishes to Mr. Fargus for his new role and updated the speaker on the current situations of human rights in Tibet.
Discussions with Global Affairs Canada
Sikyong also reached out to officials from Canada’s Foreign Ministry – Global Affairs Canada. In these meetings, the discussions centered on the current human rights situation in Tibet. Key issues addressed included the forced separation of Tibetan children into boarding schools and concerns regarding religious freedom for the Tibetan people.
Meeting with Policy Insights Forum
In his engagement with public policy think tanks, Sikyong met with Mr. Goran Samuel Pesic, the chair of the Policy Insights Forum. This institution is recognized for its strategic, fact-based support in various domains, aiming to enhance policy decision-making processes for government bodies, private sector entities, and other stakeholder groups. This meeting was facilitated by Mr. Anvesh Jain, a former associate of the Policy Insights Forum and a friend of Tibet.
Community Outreach
A significant part of Sikyong’s visit involved meeting with members of the Tibetan community in Ottawa. These interactions provided an opportunity for Sikyong to share updates on the Central Tibetan Administration’s ongoing efforts to strengthen global Tibet advocacy and to gain insights into the state of Tibetan language and cultural learning opportunities in Ottawa.
Final Day Engagements
On the final day, November 23rd, Sikyong engaged in a luncheon hosted by MP James Maloney, which was also attended by MPs John McKay, Scott Anderson, Judy Sgro, Anita Vandenbeld, and Julie Vignola. These interactions served as a fitting conclusion to a series of productive and meaningful engagements during his stay in Ottawa.
