Mr. Speaker, I rise today to present a petition on behalf of concerned citizens and residents of Calgary regarding the ongoing persecution of Falun Gong practitioners. Falun Gong is a spiritual discipline rooted in truth, compassion and tolerance, and it is practised by diverse communities across our nation. Since 1999, practitioners of Falun Gong have endured a brutal campaign against them, resulting in torture, imprisonment and death, with victims subjected to forced organ harvesting. This includes a Canadian citizen, Ms. Sun Qian, who was sentenced to eight years in prison.
The petitioners call upon the Government of Canada to demand an end to the persecution, ensure the release of all prisoners of conscience, explicitly address Falun Gong persecution in our foreign policies and sanction the perpetrators under the Magnitsky act.