Mr. Speaker, on December 1982, Vietnam became one of the 127 countries that signed the 1966 International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. By signing this covenant, Vietnam agreed to comply with certain international standards. However, that country is violating, with full impunity, the rights of Tran Trieu Quan, as guaranteed under that treaty.
Since the representations made by the government did not secure Mr. Tran's freedom on humanitarian grounds, the Minister of Foreign Affairs must now show political courage and confront the Vietnamese government, by invoking international law.
Given that the Vietnamese courts seriously violated the international standards outlined in the 1966 covenant, Canada has a right to stand up for Mr. Tran.
Why has the Canadian government not yet lodged an official protest, and what is it waiting for?