Debates of June 2nd, 2021

House of Commons Calendar

[The Assistant Deputy Speaker (Mrs. Alexandra Mendès), Liberal, Alexandra Mendes]

Pursuant to Standing Order 28(2)(b), I have the honour to lay upon the table the House of Commons calendar for the year 2022.

Governor General’s Act

[Marilyn Gladu, Conservative, Sarnia—Lambton, ON]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-305, An Act to amend the Governor General’s Act (retiring annuity and other benefits)

Madam Speaker, it is a pleasure to introduce my private member's bill.

Canadians were outraged when the former governor general left the office in disgrace and was able to collect pension and benefits of over $300,000. This private member's bill would ensure that anyone who does not serve for the full five-year term, for reasons other than medical, would not be entitled to those benefits.

It is time to fix this. This private member's bill would do that.

(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)

Foreign Affairs and International Development

[Garnett Genuis, Conservative, Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB]

Madam Speaker, I move that the fifth report of the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development, presented to the House on Monday, April 12, be concurred in.

Today, we are asking the House of Commons to agree to the following report from the foreign affairs committee:

That the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development strongly condemn the unacceptable sanctions imposed by the People's Republic of China against one of the Committee's Vice Chairs, the Member of Parliament for Wellington—Halton Hills, and the House of Commons Subcommittee on International Human Rights which represent an affront to Canada's democracy and parliamentary system; as parliamentarians, we will continue to actively denounce human rights violations and breaches of international law in keeping with our respect for basic human rights; and that this motion be reported to the House.

This motion had unanimous support at committee, and I am hopeful that this concurrence motion will have the unanimous support of the House. I will be sharing my time with the hon. member for Wellington—Halton Hills, a member who is, himself, substantively the subject of the motion.

I know that this member is a humble person who is much more interested in talking about principles and substantive issues than in talking about himself. However, I do think it is important to start this speech by acknowledging the principled leadership shown by this member that has led to him being sanctioned by a foreign state.

The member for Wellington—Halton Hills has been a member of this House for over 15 years. In that time, he has been totally fearless in taking positions that reflect deeply held convictions, regardless of the consequences. He has always done so graciously and without malice. From time to time, he took principled positions that were different from those taken by his government. I, myself, around the same time he was undertaking these efforts, was serving as one of those kids in short pants in Stephen Harper's PMO. I think it is fair to say that even when we were on different sides of an issue, all staff always maintained deep admiration for the intensity, thoughtfulness and seriousness of this member.

In particular, the passage of the Reform Act was a watershed moment for our parliamentary democracy in the effort to reverse the tide of ever-increasing centralization of control in the Prime Minister's Office. Although it does not seem to be being followed in the caucuses of all parties, the Reform Act is having a profound impact as party caucuses can now opt to take on the power to elect their own leader, elect their own caucus chair and control their membership. This is a credit to the member for Wellington—Halton Hills.

One common thread in this member's career is clearly a consistent and relentless fight for democratic values. Whatever challenges and entrenched interests this member has taken on in the past, his leadership today within our caucus, within this Parliament and globally in the fight against the Chinese Communist Party is a fight of such defining importance that it outshines all of the battles of the past.

The world is at a critical point in the battle between authoritarianism and democracy, because there are those, on the one hand, who see the individual as a mere extension of the materialistic political order, and those who believe that society exists to serve individuals who have inherent and immutable value and dignity.

In this struggle, the Chinese Communist Party has identified the member for Wellington—Halton Hills as a globally significant enemy of authoritarian values and a globally significant defender of democratic values. I can think of no greater recognition of an individual's commitment to democratic values than having been directly singled out by the Chinese Communist Party. Congratulations.

We appreciate the government support for this motion, but it must also be acknowledged that it was a member of the official opposition, not a member or minister within the government, who was recognized in this way for global leadership in defence of democratic values. I look forward to the day when that kind of leadership being exercised from the opposition benches can be exercised from the government side, when this same member has all of the tools and opportunities of government to continue his important work. Then it will truly be possible to say that Canada is back on the world stage.

Just as Conservatives under Brian Mulroney, like Canada in the global fight against apartheid, Conservatives today are ready to lead the world in the fight for justice, human rights and democratic values.

The most important lesson from the fact that sanctions have been imposed on the member for Wellington—Halton Hills is that the work he is doing is having a profound impact. When it comes to our work on human rights in this place, there can sometimes be a certain cynicism, “Does it really matter? Does anyone really see or notice what we do or say in this place?”

These sanctions prove the cynics wrong. They prove that it does matter. They prove that when we choose to take a stand, the Chinese Communist Party feels the pain and feels the need to retaliate. The stands that we take in this place have an impact on what happens in China, on the global tenor of the discussion.

The immediate trigger of these sanctions was a motion put forward by the member for Wellington—Halton Hills to recognize that Uighurs and other Turkic Muslims in China are subject to an ongoing genocide. Conservatives put forward this motion. All members who voted, voted for it, although the Prime Minister, his cabinet and many other Liberals, sadly, abstained. Just as the leadership of some members, the votes of all members, the abstentions of the cabinet were noticed here in Canada. They were noticed and seen around around the world. It is tragic that the government failed to join the House of Commons in taking this critical step.

The fact is that, as we speak, the world is seeing the largest mass detention of a minority community since the Holocaust; a genocide that involves putting people in concentration camps, that involves forced sterilization, forced abortion, forced insertion of IUDs; systematic sexual violence; and organ harvesting. These are horrors that we were supposed to never see again, and yet the world has failed to deliver on the promise of never again when the world's most populous nation and second-largest economy is seeing a genocide deploying the most sophisticated technology to destroy an entire people group.

In the face of these events, Parliament had a moral obligation to act. I am so glad that Parliament did act. Canada was the first country to have a parliamentary resolution adopted, recognizing the Uighur genocide. The parliaments of the Netherlands, Great Britain and Lithuania have followed. More actions are taken, more resolutions are expected in other states, but the leadership of the Canadian Parliament touched off a global response, which is continuing to gather momentum. Two U.S. administrations have also recognized this genocide and many other countries are stepping up with various new measures to counter and deter these horrific abuses.

New legislation is being passed around the world. New policies are being proposed to confront these abuses, game-changers in terms of standing up for fundamental human rights and countering the actions of the CCP. New bills are being proposed to prevent the importation of products made from slave labour, such as the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act in the United States. There are new sanctions, new sanctions regimes; new efforts to combat forced organ harvesting and trafficking, and new international mechanisms and agreements for calling out the Chinese state for its abuses.

What we have seen again is that the democratic world can be a sleeping giant, sometimes slower to mobilize but fierce when wakened. It is no exaggeration to say that the passing of the genocide recognition motion by this House has played a critical role in awakening the conscience of a democratic world and in inspiring a stronger global response.

It has not been one member alone. Parliament, as an institution, has found its voice speaking over and ahead of the government. This has been a powerful victory for those seeking justice for human rights, yes, but also a victory for Parliament. When it comes to responding to the Chinese Communist Party, while Canada's government has failed to lead, Canada's Parliament has stepped up to lead instead and, indeed, Canada's Parliament has led the world.

In the final moments of my speech, I would like to call on the government to do more. Voting for this motion, recognizing and standing in solidarity with those who have been sanctioned, yes, but more importantly, we must stand in solidarity with the victims, the people who we have sought to represent in this ongoing advocacy.

We need genocide recognition by the Government of Canada.

We need stronger legislation and policy around supply chains to prevent the importation of products made by Uighur slave labour and other slave labour.

We need to pass legislation to combat forced organ harvesting and trafficking.

We need to impose sanctions targeting those involved in gross violations of human rights in East Turkestan, as well as in Hong Kong and other parts of the People's Republic of China.

The government has continually been reluctant to use Magnitsky sanctions and that is a tool that Parliament has given to the government, but the government must choose to use it.

We need to support the immigration of vulnerable Uighur refugees and we need to do more to combat foreign state-backed interference and support victims of foreign state-backed interference.

For democratic values to endure, we need leaders who are willing to stand up to face down the critics and do what is right, no matter what the cost. The member for Wellington—Halton Hills is one such person. We need to see leadership finally from the government benches in this critical fight for democratic values.

Canadians have found their voice. Parliament has found its voice. It is time for the government to find its voice.

[Arnold Viersen, Conservative, Peace River—Westlock, AB]

Madam Speaker, it is always a privilege to stand in the House of Commons and represent the good people of Peace River—Westlock. It is springtime and the crops are all coming up nicely. Bringing the plight of the Uighur people to the world's attention has been an important aspect of this, and I want to thank my hon. colleague for that.

What are some of the things that Canada can do to increasingly bring more action to this? When we say “never again”, we mean “never again”. What do we need to do now?

[Garnett Genuis, Conservative, Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB]

Madam Speaker, since I know the member for Peace River—Westlock has been particularly active on the issue of human trafficking, both domestically and internationally, let me focus my response to his question on one particular point, and that is recognizing the way that slave labour and forced labour, targeting Uighurs, is impacting Canadian supply chains.

There are products that are being produced in East Turkestan or Xinjiang that are very likely being imported to Canada. The government, under pressure to take some action, announced some new policies last year, but they were very weak. They included, for instance, ensuring that businesses are being told about these issues. If businesses are operating in this part of China and they are unaware of these issues, then they are being willfully blind, because this has been all over the news. People should already be aware.

The government put in place mechanisms that theoretically could stop importation of slave-made products, but there are no effective review or enforcement mechanisms. As far as we know, not a single shipment of products has been stopped since these new policies were put in place, so the policies are not working. I would support implementing something like what the United States has done with the bipartisan Uighur Forced Labour Prevention Act, which creates a presumption that slave labour is involved—

[The Assistant Deputy Speaker (Mrs. Alexandra Mendès), Liberal, Alexandra Mendes]

Questions and comments.

The hon. Parliamentary Secretary to the President of the Queen's Privy Council.

[Kevin Lamoureux, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the President of the Queen’s Privy Council for Canada and Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs and to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Madam Speaker, the member for Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan is very much familiar with the fact that we are in the month of June and there is a limited amount of time for the government to deal with legislation.

The concurrence report that the member is bringing forward is yet another attempt by the Conservative Party, the official opposition, to cause frustration of legislation or to play that destructive force inside the legislative chamber. My question to the member is: If this issue is so very important to the Conservative Party, why would they not bring it up in the form of a day of a motion coming from the official opposition? Why do they choose to continue to play the games on the floor of the House of Commons to prevent legislation from passing?

[Garnett Genuis, Conservative, Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB]

Madam Speaker, that is an utterly ridiculous question from the member for Winnipeg North, who does not think that the global defence of democratic values is something worth debating in this place.

Let me tell him something.

He wishes we had brought this topic forward as an opposition day. Perhaps we could have brought it forward as an opposition day yesterday, if the government had willingly provided documents that a parliamentary committee had requested with respect to the infiltration, or the possible infiltration, of Chinese government activity in Canadian labs. The government's lack of respect and regard for democratic values requires us to continually bring these issues up yesterday, today and, if necessary, tomorrow, because the defence of democratic values is critically important. There is no more important issue to be bringing forward today, and if the government was prepared to work with us, we would be able to accomplish—

[The Assistant Deputy Speaker (Mrs. Alexandra Mendès), Liberal, Alexandra Mendes]

Questions and comments. The hon. member for Lac-Saint-Jean.

[Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe, Bloc, Lac-Saint-Jean, QC]

Madam Speaker, I want to acknowledge my colleague's passion and the work he has done with respect to the Uighur people. We worked together on the Subcommittee on International Human Rights of the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development. I therefore want to commend him and acknowledge his passion and commitment on this issue.

The Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons just criticized us for having this discussion here in the House, when the entire executive of this government, the parliamentary secretary, the ministers and the Prime Minister, refused to vote on the motion of the member for Wellington—Halton Hills.

My question for my hon. colleague is this: Do the Liberals think that the vote of a backbencher is less important than that of one of their members in the executive of this government?

[Garnett Genuis, Conservative, Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB]

Madam Speaker, I recognize the member's leadership, in particular, on the issue of the Olympics. We have called on the government not to send government representatives to the Beijing Olympics, if they proceed. We would, of course, prefer relocation, but the government must take a stand and not send government representatives to attend Olympics in a country where—

[The Assistant Deputy Speaker (Mrs. Alexandra Mendès), Liberal, Alexandra Mendes]

It is my duty pursuant to Standing Order 38 to inform the House that the questions to be raised tonight at the time of adjournment are as follows: the hon. member for Mission—Matsqui—Fraser Canyon, Housing; the hon. member for Edmonton Strathcona, Pharmacare; the hon. member for Fredericton, Diversity and Inclusion.

Resuming debate, the hon. member for Wellington—Halton Hills.

[Michael Chong, Conservative, Wellington—Halton Hills, ON]

Madam Speaker, China is trying to silence the truth abroad after having silenced it at home.

Several months ago, I woke up to the news that China's government had sanctioned me, adding me to a list of officials in the United States, Europe and the United Kingdom who have been sanctioned simply for speaking against Beijing's genocide of its Uighur Muslim minority and speaking against the crackdown in Hong Kong. The sanctions ban me and others who have been sanctioned from visiting China and prohibit Chinese citizens and institutions from doing business with me. Having no plans to travel to China and having no business ties there, they will have no effect on me.

Nevertheless, they should be taken seriously as an attempt to silence the growing criticism of the Chinese government's human rights record and its violations of international law. Since President Xi Jinping came to power in 2012, the Chinese government has become increasingly assertive in shutting down criticism. Increasing threats have accompanied this increasing assertiveness.

China's actions are a threat to Canada.

Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor have now been detained for over two years. Robert Schellenberg has been put on death row. The fate and whereabouts of Hussein Jalil are unknown. The Chinese government has arbitrarily banned the imports of products that target Canadian farmers. Canada is not the only target of China's regime. From its growing intimidation of Taiwan to its recent border skirmishes with India and the unilateral extension of its boundaries into the South China Sea, the Chinese Communist Party is increasingly threatening its neighbours.

It is not only abroad where the Chinese government is challenging the rules-based international order. In its crackdown on Hong Kong, it is violating the Sino-British Joint Declaration of 1984, which guaranteed Hong Kong's autonomy for 50 years from 1997. In its mass detention and sterilization of the Uighur Muslim minorities, it is violating the 1948 genocide convention, the very first international human rights treaty adopted at the United Nations. The abuse of other minorities continues with its treatment of Tibetans, practitioners of Falun Gong and Christians.

We must wake up to the reality in liberal democracies that in recent years, instead of improving their record on human rights, democracy and the rule of law, authoritarian governments have used their new-found prosperity to reinforce that authoritarianism. Here in Canada, CSIS has warned that state-sponsored espionage, through 5G technologies and biotechnology, threatens our national security and intellectual property regime. The government should advise Canadian universities against partnerships with Huawei, and it should issue a directive to the federal granting councils banning such partnerships. It is time that Canada joins our four Five Eyes allies in banning Huawei from participating in our 5G telecommunications network.

In 2016, the government joined the China-led Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank. So far, it has contributed $50 million of public money to that bank and is asking for another $49 million to contribute to that bank through the estimates. It is part of China's strategy to export its model of authoritarian governance throughout the Indo-Pacific region. It is why President Obama and vice-president Biden at the time, in 2016, asked the Canadian government not to join. Canada should suspend payments to the bank and withdraw.

The Chinese government is intimidating Canadians here at home, particularly those in the Chinese community. Hong Kong pro-democracy activists and students on university campuses across the nation have been subject to threats. A robust plan is needed from the government to counter these intimidation operations, increase enforcement and make it clear to China's diplomats accredited here in Canada, some several hundred of them, that any role in these intimidation operations here on Canadian soil is grounds to be declared persona non grata and expelled from this country.

In China, there is evidence that Uighurs in Xinjiang province are being forced to pick cotton and produce tomatoes through a coercive state-run system. The government needs to introduce new, effective measures to ban the importation of products from China that have been produced using forced labour.

These gross violations of human rights and international law, the treatment of the Uighur people and the treatment of the people of Hong Kong cannot go unanswered. If we do not work with our democratic allies to counter these violations, we will allow the Chinese Communist Party to export its model of authoritarianism and undermine the rules-based international order that has provided relative peace and security since 1945.

The sanctions imposed on me and others have brought us together. They have backfired. I have met with elected parliamentarians who have been sanctioned in the United Kingdom, the European Union and members of national parliaments throughout Europe. The sanctions have brought us together and have brought us together in action.

We are working more closely together now because of these sanctions to counter China's threats to Liberal democracies. For example, recently a European Parliament delegation meeting chaired by a member of the European Parliament, Mr. Reinhard Bütikofer, invited me and a dozen and a half members of the European Parliament, as well as members of national parliaments in the United Kingdom, Belgium, the Netherlands, Lithuania and here in Canada, to talk about countering China's threats. We had a productive meeting, albeit at four o'clock in the morning, since it was on European time. Nevertheless, with copious amounts of coffee, we had a productive meeting and endeavoured to work together.

Out of these discussions has come action. On May 20, the European Parliament overwhelmingly passed a motion freezing ratification of the European Union-China comprehensive agreement on investment, a treaty concluded on December 30 of last year and a treaty that is a signature effort of President Xi Jinping of China.

Just several weeks ago, Australia cancelled two belt and road initiatives of China because of China's threats to Australia. That is the kind of action this House and the government should be taking in response to these sanctions and to the threats China is posing to our citizens, our economy and our values.

The sanctions imposed on me and others are a clumsy effort by the People's Republic of China to silence the free speech and open debate at the heart of Liberal democracies. They will work if we are silent. We cannot be silent. We cannot lose the hard-won and hard-fought-for ideals that underpin our democracies: a belief in liberty and freedom, a belief in human rights, a belief in democratic institutions and a belief in the rule of law. For if we are silent, we will let these hard-won and cherished beliefs be lost to a new ascendant model of authoritarianism, repression and fear.

[Pat Kelly, Conservative, Calgary Rocky Ridge, AB]

Madam Speaker, the member for Wellington—Halton Hills is modest and will not say it perhaps, so I will. He is truly a champion of freedom and Canadian ideals of rule of law, democracy and pluralism.

It is curious that the Chinese government singled out a member of the opposition as worthy of sanction for opposing the regime's authoritarianism, rather than a member of the government. I wonder if the member for Wellington—Halton Hills can comment further on the need for the government to do better in support of the Michaels, who remain in prison, and to stand up for Canadian values.

[Michael Chong, Conservative, Wellington—Halton Hills, ON]

Madam Speaker, I would like to thank my hon. colleague for his work on this important issue.

These sanctions are an opportunity for Liberal democracies to work more closely together, for their governments to work more closely together and for their elected legislatures to work more closely together to counter these threats.

The European Parliament's decision to freeze the investment treaty with China several weeks ago and the Australian government's decision several weeks ago to cancel two belt and road agreements with China are indicative of this, and I would encourage the government to use these sanctions as an opportunity to suspend payments to the China-led Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank and to withdraw Canada as a member from that bank.

[Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe, Bloc, Lac-Saint-Jean, QC]

Madam Speaker, I want to once again thank my colleague from Wellington—Halton Hills for his efforts and his commitment to this issue. I also want to point out that he agreed to let the Bloc Québécois amend his motion, which was unanimously adopted here. He was happy to do it, and I think it added something to the motion that was adopted by the House.

The Subcommittee on International Human Rights issued a statement on October 21, 2020, saying that the Chinese regime committed a genocide in Xinjiang. There was an open letter, signed by members of all parties in the House, calling for the Olympics to be relocated if those acts of genocide continued. A motion was adopted in the House of Commons to that effect, asking the government to recognize that a genocide is currently being committed in Xinjiang.

Can my colleague tell us why the Prime Minister is still refusing to admit that a genocide is being committed there?

[Michael Chong, Conservative, Wellington—Halton Hills, ON]

Madam Speaker, I will start by thanking my colleague for his work on this important issue.

I think there is another measure the Government of Canada could take to combat the Chinese threat, which also relates to the genocide against the Uighur people. This measure has to do with the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games in Beijing.

Specifically, this would entail the Government of Canada announcing publicly that it has decided not to send a government representative to the Olympic and Paralympic Games, to show China that its actions against the Uighur people are completely unacceptable.

[Peter Julian, NDP, New Westminster—Burnaby, BC]

Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Wellington—Halton Hills for his commitment on human rights. I think this is an important debate that has been started today. What concerns me, frankly, is the reaction from the government. We heard from the member for Winnipeg North just a few minutes ago, who seemed irritated about the discussion around human rights.

We have certainly seen this with the government when we raise issues such as the export of Canadian military goods to Saudi Arabia and human rights violations there. The government seems perturbed, seems angered when human rights are issues that are front and centre in the House of Commons.

I want to ask my colleague from Wellington—Halton Hills, why does the government react this way on fundamental issues of human rights?

[Michael Chong, Conservative, Wellington—Halton Hills, ON]

Madam Speaker, I think there is a pattern with the government, and that is a big gap between its rhetoric on issues like democracy, the rule of law and human rights, and reality. The government came to office promising to make Canada a leader on foreign aid around the world, for example. The fact is that foreign aid has been cut by 10% relative to the average under the previous government.

The government promised to do better on climate change, yet emissions have risen each and every year that the government has been in power, including the most recent year for which data is available, which is 2019. So too on human rights: The government has said it would do a better job on human rights, but its actions and its record say otherwise.

[Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe, Bloc, Lac-Saint-Jean, QC]

Madam Speaker, today, I rise as the member for Lac-Saint-Jean, the vice-chair of the Subcommittee on International Human Rights of the House of Commons, and the vice-chair of the Canada-Uighur Parliamentary Friendship Group, but, above all, I rise as a human being who cares about other human beings, no matter who they are or where they live on this planet.

It is important to know why we are having this debate today, despite what government members might say, since they do not agree on the reason for this debate. Every other member of the House knows why we are having this important debate.

Why are we here? We are here because a report of the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development has been tabled. It is important to know what it says, because these are the words that will guide our subsequent actions. This report, which is barely a paragraph long, says the following:

That the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development strongly condemn the unacceptable sanctions imposed by the People's Republic of China against one of the Committee's Vice Chairs, the Member of Parliament for Wellington—Halton Hills, and the House of Commons Subcommittee on International Human Rights which represent an affront to Canada's democracy and parliamentary system; as parliamentarians, we will continue to actively denounce human rights violations and breaches of international law in keeping with our respect for basic human rights; and that this motion be reported to the House.

When I rise in the House, I often ask who we work for. We should also ask ourselves what we are working for. In this case, we are working for international human rights, for those who are experiencing genocide. We have evidence. The Subcommittee on International Human Rights did studies in 2018 and 2020, and the evidence is mounting around the world. The BBC did reports on this issue and is no longer allowed to broadcast in China. We know a genocide is happening. The question is not whether it is happening, but how to put a stop to it.

I will read the statement that the subcommittee made on October 21, 2020, which went somewhat unnoticed. It says, and I quote:

The Subcommittee unequivocally condemns the persecution of Uyghurs and other Turkic Muslims in Xinjiang by the Government of China. Based on the evidence put forward during the Subcommittee hearings, both in 2018 and 2020, the Subcommittee is persuaded that the actions of the Chinese Communist Party constitute genocide as laid out in the Genocide Convention.

There are some Liberal members on that committee, which, as we know, does not operate by vote but by consensus. That means that all of the members of the committee agreed with the statement that was made. A press conference was even held, even though the media did not really pick up on it.

I would like to remind members of the recommendations that the subcommittee made and that were adopted on March 12, 2021, by the standing committee it reports to, namely the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development. This is important, and I want to make sure that the House is aware of the recommendations that the subcommittee made to it.

Here is the first recommendation:

The Subcommittee recommends that the Government of Canada, in coordination with international allies, condemn the Government of the People's Republic of China's use of concentration camps to unjustly detain Uyghurs and other Turkic Muslims.

Here is the second recommendation:

The Subcommittee recommends that Global Affairs Canada coordinate an international campaign calling on the Government of the People's Republic of China to immediately release unjustly detained Uyghurs and other Turkic Muslims from its concentration camps.

Here is the third recommendation:

The Subcommittee recommends that Global Affairs Canada coordinate an international effort to pressure the Government of the People's Republic of China to allow independent observers unfettered access to Xinjiang to evaluate the situation of Uyghurs and other Turkic Muslims.

Here is the fourth recommendation:

The Subcommittee recommends that Global Affairs Canada enhance its import control mechanisms to ensure products made with forced labour are not entering the Canadian market. This should include strong punitive measures for individuals and companies that benefit from the use of forced labour.

Here is the fifth recommendation:

The Subcommittee recommends that the Government of Canada enhance the mandate of the Canadian Ombudsperson for Responsible Enterprise to ensure the office has the power to conduct independent investigations, the authority to compel documents and testimony from companies and their executives, and the resources to investigate alleged human rights abuses.

Here is the sixth recommendation:

The Subcommittee recommends that the Department of Justice develop a comprehensive human rights due diligence law that compels businesses to respect the most current international human rights standards across their global operations and supply chains and be held accountable for harms caused in relation to their operations.

Here is the seventh recommendation:

The Subcommittee recommends that Global Affairs Canada undertake a review of Canadian equipment and technologies exported to China to better understand how they are being utilized by end-users in that country. Further to that review, the Government of Canada should implement measures to ensure Canadian individuals, companies and public bodies are not supplying information or technologies that could be used in support of the violation of fundamental human rights.

Here is the eighth recommendation:

The Subcommittee recommends that Public Safety Canada systematically track cases of harassment, by Chinese authorities, of Uyghurs and other Turkic Muslims living in Canada, as well as individuals and groups advocating on their behalf. The Subcommittee also urges the Government of Canada to respond punitively to attempts to repress freedom of expression in Canada and urges it to continue raising the issue with the Government of the People's Republic of China officials.

Here is the ninth recommendation:

The Subcommittee recommends that Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada use existing refugee programs and create an exceptional stream to expedite entry into Canada for Uyghurs and other Turkic Muslims in need of protection, especially human rights defenders, because they are fleeing persecution in Xinjiang and elsewhere. The Canada Border Services Agency should suspend the removal of Uyghurs and other Turkic Muslims to China or other states where they are at risk of deportation.

Here is the 10th recommendation:

The Subcommittee recommends that Global Affairs Canada use all the tools at its disposal to secure the release of Huseyin Celil, including but not limited to the appointment of a special envoy specifically tasked with seeking his release and return.

Here is the 11th recommendation:

The Subcommittee recommends that the House of Commons adopt a motion recognizing the Government of the People's Republic of China's persecution of Uyghurs and other Turkic Muslims in Xinjiang as constitutive of genocide.

This was done, but without the support of the executive of the government.

Here is the 12th recommendation:

The Subcommittee recommends that the Government of Canada declare the Government of the People's Republic of China's oppression of Uyghurs and other Turkic Muslims in Xinjiang as constitutive of genocide. As such, the Government of Canada should also condemn the Government of the People's Republic of China for its organized and systematic persecution of Uyghurs and other Turkic Muslims in Xinjiang.

This has not been done.

Here is the 13th recommendation:

The Subcommittee recommends that the Government of Canada support the request of Canada's ambassador to the United Nations Human Rights Council to gather evidence and investigate the Government of the People's Republic of China's persecution of Uyghurs and other Turkic Muslims in Xinjiang.

Here is the 14th recommendation:

The Subcommittee recommends that the Government of Canada call for the establishment of an impartial and independent United Nations mechanism to monitor and report on the human rights situation of Uyghurs and other Turkic Muslims in Xinjiang.

Finally, here is the 15th recommendation:

The Subcommittee recommends that the Government of Canada apply targeted sanctions under the Justice for Victims of Corrupt Foreign Officials Act against officials responsible for committing gross violations of human rights against Uyghurs and other Turkic Muslims in Xinjiang. The Government of Canada should also encourage international allies and like-minded countries to pursue similar sanctions.

These words are of immense importance. However, they elicited zero response from the government and its executive, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Prime Minister. Every time we asked them a question in the House, they answered that they were working on it and that they are worried about the situation.

Being worried is all well and good, but we are well past that now.

On Saturday, the Uighurs will be protesting in front of the Canadian Olympic Committee's offices, calling for the relocation of the Olympic Games. That is the idea behind the motion moved by the member for Wellington—Halton Hills, which we amended. The government is refusing to comment. It is still worried.

The Uighur genocide started to get more media attention when it became associated with the idea of moving the 2022 Olympics out of Beijing. Suddenly, the media decided to take a closer look at the issue. However, the government is still telling us it will not comment, even though Liberal members who are not part of the executive voted in favour of that motion. I asked my colleague about this earlier. I wanted to know if a Liberal backbencher's vote is worth less than that of a member who is in the executive of the Liberal government.

It is a valid question. If parliamentary secretaries, ministers and the Prime Minister decide not to comment on the issue, what does that tell us as MPs? It tells us that there is a lack of courage, of political will. It tells us that, once again, our government is knuckling under to what can only be described as the tyrannical regime currently in power in China.

We are speaking with Uighurs every day. We are writing to them every day. My Conservative and New Democrat colleagues are doing it, and so are my Liberal colleagues, the ones who are not part of the executive. How can anyone look themselves in the mirror knowing that they are part of a government that cannot call a spade a spade?

If we are to address a problem, we need to be able to name it. The Prime Minister is unable to name the problem. This is not a minor problem. It is a genocide. Genocide is the most serious crime that a human being can perpetrate against another human being. The evidence of this genocide is there, all over the world. The Prime Minister and the Minister of Foreign Affairs cannot bring themselves to say the word “genocide”, even though members of their own party can.

We need to ask ourselves again: What are we working for, and who are we working for? When I get up in the morning, I do not have any trouble looking myself in the mirror. I, too, am on China's blacklist. Honestly, that does bother me, because I have no ties to China and no intention of travelling there in the near future. However, some members of the House who were put on that list have family in China. Perhaps they would have liked to go visit those family members because they are concerned about them, but those members stood up and took that risk. They can look themselves in the mirror every morning.

We wrote an open letter. I think I am pretty lucky, because that open letter was signed by members from all parties of the House, members of the Quebec National Assembly, and Jean-Luc Brassard, who won an Olympic gold medal for Canada in 1994. They signed this letter calling for the Beijing Olympics to be relocated if China continues its genocidal campaign.

Everyone is telling me that I am crazy because it is impossible to relocate the Olympics with just one year's notice. My answer is that where there is a will, there is a way. That is the first thing. Scientists created a vaccine in short order. Everyone told them it was impossible, yet they did it.

Politicians only need the political will. It could have been done. The Tokyo Olympic Games were delayed one year because of the pandemic. Everyone agreed, and no one asked questions when it was announced that the Tokyo Olympics would be postponed for one year. When the Olympics are delayed because of a pandemic, everyone is all right with it, but when we go after the 2022 Olympics because of a genocide, I am told it cannot be done.

Where is the logic in that? If we were able to do it for Tokyo, why can we not do it for Beijing? It is not a pandemic, it is a genocide. Is that not important enough?

I do not understand why any members would be against this idea, given that they get up in the morning telling themselves that they work for their voters and for what is right. What is right is to fight against a tyrannical regime and protect the people who are being oppressed by this regime.

Personally, I am happy, because when I look myself in the mirror, my conscience is clear. There are members on the other side of the House who are going to have to ask themselves a question of vital importance: Why do we enter politics?

Politicians always have to make difficult decisions. They are difficult to make because obviously we know full well what kind of country China is. We know that it is a force to be reckoned with, a global power, and no one wants to upset a global power, considering the economic repercussions. There are also the two Michaels and Huawei to think of.

Do people go into politics expecting it to be easy? No, people go into politics knowing they will have to make difficult decisions. Still, they must be fair. Just because it is hard does not mean it is not fair.

The Prime Minister needs to take a hard look in the mirror. This government needs to look in the mirror and decide whether it will name the problem or not. Once it names the problem, it will be a lot easier to tackle it.

A genocide is currently being carried out in Xinjiang against Uighurs and Turkic Muslims. The government needs to name it and stand up to China. I hope the Liberals will be able to take a good hard look at themselves once they do.

[Jonathan Wilkinson, Liberal, North Vancouver, BC]

Madam Speaker, I rise on a point of order. I am tabling the responses to Order Paper Questions Nos. 622 to 628.

[Michael Chong, Conservative, Wellington—Halton Hills, ON]

Madam Speaker, my hon. colleague has been working on the issue of Canada's role at the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Beijing next winter.

I would like to know what he thinks the government should do about the Olympics and Paralympics to send a message to China concerning the genocide being committed against the Uighur people.

[Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe, Bloc, Lac-Saint-Jean, QC]

Madam Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague, whom I admire, for his question.

Earlier he posited that it would be easy for the government not to send diplomatic personnel to the next Olympic and Paralympic Games in Beijing.

That is a first step, of course, but I also think that it is not too late for the government to exert even more pressure and use even more of the leverage at its disposal. The thing that hurts China the most is its image at home and abroad. Going after the Olympic Games in Beijing will help the Uighur people.

We will work hand in hand with all my friends from all the parties, with anyone who is so inclined.

[Kevin Lamoureux, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the President of the Queen’s Privy Council for Canada and Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs and to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Madam Speaker, I do not know how many times I have listened to members of the opposition say they want to have more time to speak to a bill, whatever that bill might be. It happens consistently.

At the same time, the at-times-unholy alliance of opposition members will bring forward issues to prevent the government from bringing forward legislation. On one hand, they say they want more time to speak to government legislation and are critical of government for not allowing more time, then on the other they do what they can to prevent government legislation from passing.

For example, today we were supposed to be debating Bill C-22. Is the Bloc comfortable seeing that bill pass? Do the Bloc members want more time on government legislation? If not, then maybe we should be debating this issue more often than is being suggested.

[Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe, Bloc, Lac-Saint-Jean, QC]

Madam Speaker, it is funny to hear the member talk about an opposition alliance. The way I see it, there is an alliance between the Liberal government and their NDP farm team on numerous issues.

As far as speaking time is concerned, the government has imposed time allocation a few times and even prorogued Parliament for six weeks. The member opposite better not talk to me about speaking time. The government shut down Parliament for six weeks and systematically filibustered at the Standing Committee on National Defence and the Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics.

If the Liberals want to be serious and tell me that we are currently talking about things that do not suit their taste, then they can do the honourable thing and look at their own track record. Their record on speaking time in the House is not looking so good.