Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  Thank you so much. I'd like to shift gears for a moment and go to Ms. Boniadi. You mentioned Narges Mohammadi. You just touched upon her lightly. I've heard about her. Can you please shed some light in terms of what her latest active civil disobedience was and anything else you'd like to share with this committee?

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  Our first round of questions consists of seven minutes for each member who is either here present or online, and our first member is Mr. Sameer Zuberi.

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  I want to thank all of the witnesses for being here, and for your courage. I fully recognize how challenging it is for each and every one of you to be advocating in the spaces you're in, knowing that for what you say, you're going to receive a lot of headwind. You're obviously going to be heavily critiqued.

Foreign Affairs committee  Would you be kind enough to educate yourselves about the situation?

Foreign Affairs committee  Of course. Thank you.

Foreign Affairs committee  Excellent. We know thus far that four individuals and entities have been sanctioned by our government. With all we've heard here, including in your opening remarks, of grave and serious human rights abuses, of hundreds of thousands of children being forcibly separated from their families and their parents—we all are parents—are we looking at having more than simply four sanctioned?

Foreign Affairs committee  I'll conclude by noting that the two who are currently being held in Guantanamo have been security cleared by the Americans. They have Canadian connections here. I know it's challenging for us to talk about that type of subject, but it's also important to note on the record. Are you aware of these two people who have a Canadian connection?

Foreign Affairs committee  Thank you, Mr. Chair, and thank you again to all the witnesses. I want to shift focus for a moment and pick up on some remarks that were made around what's happened in America around the Uyghur Forced Labour Prevention Act. Right now, there is, to use lay terms, reverse onus, where products that are believed to be produced in Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region are not entering the country.

Foreign Affairs committee  I know you're not the CBSA, but I would ask that, beyond awareness, we actually examine the list to determine if those companies should indeed be prevented from bringing goods into Canada. Again on the same theme, just for the record—what is actually out there—we know of what's properly known as the Uyghur Tribunal, with eminent jurists in the U.K.

Foreign Affairs committee  I'd like to thank all the witnesses for being here and underscore how it's very evident that all of us members are on a very similar page when it comes to this extremely important issue. I'll pick up on some ideas that have come forth, except I'd like to start with the sombre anniversary of Huseyin Celil's being in detention since March 27, 2006, which marks 16 years since he was first detained and was rendered through Uzbekistan to detention, subsequent arrest and sentencing in China.

Foreign Affairs committee  Thank you. I'd like to shift the focus to domestic issues. You spoke a lot about supply chains. First, I'd like to recognize that 80% of China's cotton is produced in the Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region, as is 70% of China's tomato products. Most global tomato paste comes from the region in question.

Foreign Affairs committee  Thank you. Very quickly, I'm of South Asian heritage. There have been concerns around the treatment of minorities within the world's largest democracy, India, our friend, and the protection of those minorities, especially as of late. Can you tell us what we are doing as a country to see that the touchstone values of minorities within India, the world's largest democracy, are being respected and protected, and are actually being realized?

Foreign Affairs committee  While I am on the subject, I would be remiss not to bring up the name of Huseyin Celil, a Canadian citizen who has been detained for several years in China. We've given a lot of attention to “the two Michaels”. Huseyin Celil hasn't benefited from the same amount of attention.

Foreign Affairs committee  I'd like to thank Global Affairs for being here with us and making their time available. I'd like to start off with the war in Ukraine. We know that Vladimir Putin, who's the aggressor and perpetrator of this war, started it for many different reasons. We see that he is insistent on continuing this conflict.

Foreign Affairs committee  Thank you for that. I'm sure you're aware that on February 22, 2021, the House of Commons voted unanimously that what the government of China is doing to the Uighur people rises to the level of genocide. While this was not a binding motion, there is a moral prerogative, I would say.