Ottawa, December 8, 2021: The former executive members of the PFT reprised their membership in the meeting to continue their support for human rights in Tibet. Among those returning to the PFT group after the federal election in September 2021 is Liberal MP Arif Virani as chair of the group, MP Garnett Genuis as vice-chair representing Conservative Party of Canada, MP Randall Garrison as vice-chair representing New Democratic Party, MP James Maloney as vice-chair representing Liberal Party of Canada, and MP Alexis Brunel-Duceppe representing Bloc Québécois.
Speaking to the participating Members of Parliament, the Canada Tibet Committee’s executive director Sherap Therchin and chair Samphe Lhalungpa highlighted the current situations in Tibet, including the latest report on the residential school system and the urgency of active support to the resumption of Sino-Tibetan dialogue. The PFT Constitution states, “Encourage the Canadian government to broker negotiations on Tibet between representatives of the Dalai Lama and China” as one of the critical purposes of the parliamentary group. Formed in 1989 by parliamentarians concerned about the situation in Tibet, the PFT has since played essential roles in all significant Canadian support to the Tibet issues.
In 2020, the Parliamentary Committee on Canada-China Relation unanimously passed a motion supporting the resumption of the Sino-Tibetan dialogue. The motion was sponsored by Vice-Chair of the PFT MP Garnett Genuis and supported by Chair of the PFT MP Arif Virani and other members of the PFT.
The meeting coincided with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announcing a diplomatic boycott of the upcoming Beijing Olympics. CTC’s Executive Director Sherap Therchin remarked that the widespread protest by Tibetans in 2008 (and subsequently and tragically the self-immolations) stemmed from frustration with the status quo and hoped that the international community would demand change.
By Sherap Therchin