Our concern is that when we start to ignore the interference and transnational oppression happening in Canada, it doesn't just become a Falun Gong or Shen Yun issue; it's everybody's issue. Like all of the young artists we're speaking about today, what if a young artist wants to write a great song about democracy and anti-Communism? Are they going to be attacked by the Chinese Communist Party here in Canada?
When it comes to the National Arts Centre, after 18 years, we're concerned because we can see the power of the Chinese Communist Party influence. They had over 20 correspondence with NAC executives and CCP diplomats on cultural co-operation, and then just months later, Shen Yun was cancelled with no reason that held up to scrutiny. All the reasons didn't hold up to scrutiny. When we start putting our democracy, our freedom of the arts, our freedom of speech and our freedom of belief on the back burner to please China for trade, we're losing our country.