I understand. I will slow down.
A local government work report from 2019 reads that, “For every batch [of workers] that is trained, a batch of employment will be arranged and a batch will be transferred. Those employed need to receive thorough ideological education and remain in their jobs.”
The turn to green energy in order to lower pollution and costs is good in theory. However, it is clear that this initiative, if sourced from China, cannot and will not be green. East Turkestan is rich in natural resources that are part of the EV battery process. The Chinese government is actively relocating the processing of raw materials and the manufacturing of car parts into East Turkestan due to the availability of these large reserves of resources. Ironically, the manufacturing of these green technologies in China is particularly energy-intensive and highly polluting.
Uyghurs are being used as a source of slave labour in the mining and production of lithium, cobalt, coal and other materials crucial for these batteries. Purchasing electric vehicles or renewable energy and technologies from China not only directly upholds forced labour systems in place to eradicate Uyghurs, but also creates even more pollution.
As Canada strives to meet climate goals and transition to greener technologies, we must ensure that these efforts do not come at the cost of human rights and, certainly, of our environment. Collaborating with companies that utilize forced labour directly undermines Canada's commitment to ethical trade and social justice.
Xinjiang East Hope Nonferrous Metals, Tianshan Aluminum, and Xinjiang Xinfeng Co. are all are closely tied to Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, a military economic entity, sanctioned by Canada, that plays a big role in the repression of Uyghurs. This company holds thousands of stakes in companies in East Turkestan and frequently participates in forced labour transfers with coal mining companies.
I add that the current legislation prohibiting forced labour...within Canada is weak. The United States has the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act, which assumes that any products coming from East Turkestan or Xinjiang are made, wholly or in part, by forced labour until proven otherwise, whilst Canada does not. However, the goal of both countries is to prohibit forced labour from entering our borders. Canada has neither seized nor stopped a single shipment at our borders due to the reason of forced labour. From June 2022 to date the U.S. has stopped 9,791 shipments, releasing 4,537 and seizing 3,975, due to forced labour. While our neighbours can uphold their commitment to protecting human rights, why hasn't our government adopted the same policy?
Green initiatives cannot truly be sustainable if they rely on Uyghur forced labour, and China is also one of the highest polluters in the world. Supporting the Chinese Communist Party, without accountability, makes us complicit in these violations of human rights. Our economic and environmental interests cannot outweigh the fundamental human rights of millions of Uyghur people. It's essential to seize and stop goods coming in from China, East Turkestan or Xinjiang. It is essential that we call on China to address its pollution and CO2 emissions, and that we ensure our green technologies are ethically sourced by ending the Uyghur genocide and freeing East Turkestan.