Thank you, Minister.
Just building on something, you were responding to something that Mr. Harris had asked you. In response to him earlier, you also said that there are times, specifically with respect to the relationship with China, when we must periodically “disagree profoundly on human rights.”
I represent a large number of Tibetan Canadians in my riding of Parkdale—High Park and I'm very proud to do so. I'm also very proud of our track record in raising issues of religious freedom and linguistic freedoms. I know that in 2018, in front of the universal periodic review mechanism at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, we specifically recommended that China end prosecution and persecution on the basis of religion or beliefs, including for Tibetan Buddhists.
I'm also aware that we have spoken out at the UN Human Rights Council in stating that the government of China's ongoing persecution of religious and ethnic minorities, particularly in Xinjiang and Tibet, was incompatible with its international obligations as well as its constitution. I know that we've urged authorities to immediately release all individuals detained for exercising their human rights, including their right to freedom of religion and expression, and to protect advocates of linguistic and cultural rights, such as an individual named Tashi Wangchuk, who is perhaps the most celebrated case.
I want to return to something that's come up during the course of the last hour. Could you provide an update to this committee about the utility of speaking up about these very pressing issues, in particular with respect to the People's Republic of China, and update us about the steps the government is currently taking to promote freedom of religion for Tibetan Buddhists and Uighur Muslims?