Mr. Speaker, today Tibetans and supporters have gathered outside this very building in a desperate cry to stop the crackdown of religious freedom in their region.
Canada has expressed its serious concerns about the human rights situation in China, including continuing restrictions on the freedoms of expression, association, religion and belief of ethnic Tibetans. We remain concerned about the arbitrary detention and treatment of political prisoners in Tibet and have raised the issue of Tibetans and other religious minorities in China in bilateral meetings and on the international stage, including at the United Nations General Assembly.
Our government takes the issue of religious freedom in China and around the world very seriously. The freedoms of religious belief and practice are at the heart of our principled foreign policy.
We do not hesitate to raise such issues as part of mutually respectful, mature dialogue between our two countries and we encourage substantive dialogue between Chinese leaders and religious minorities.