Mr. Speaker, today is the International Day for the Abolition of Slavery. I want to take this opportunity to talk about the Uighurs, a people who are victims of slavery.
At least 500,000 Uighurs are being forced to work in cotton fields in China. No less than one in five articles of cotton clothing sold in the world is made in part by Uighur slave labour. Yes, I said one in five articles of clothing. Tragically, the Uighurs are being subjected to a genocide, and forced labour and slavery is just one horrific part of that.
Despite this, the Government of Canada is bowing to China. Yesterday, it refused to use the Olympic Games to put diplomatic pressure on China to authorize an investigation into the abuses inflicted on Uighurs.
Today, I am reaching out to my Liberal colleagues.
I know that they are aware of what is going on. I have spoken with them. I know there are many of them who would prefer us to stand up to China. I am calling on them to reflect, because today, on the International Day for the Abolition of Slavery, their government is sitting on the wrong side of history.