Mr. Speaker, Dai Qing is a Chinese citizen, once China's most famous investigative journalist, a former political prisoner, and widely recognized for her writing and lectures at universities across North America. She was invited to Canada again this fall to discuss her new book. However, when she applied for a routine visa, she was surprised that her application was subject to review, and her passport, two months later, is still being held by the Canadian embassy.
Can the minister assure the House that Dai Qing's visa application is not being blocked for political reasons?