Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  I think that for every Tibetan, what seems impossible to others is, of course, totally clear and possible to us. The fall of Hong Kong was not something we thought was impossible, and now with Taiwan, yes, all Tibetans are concerned. I also think we see in Taiwan what exists th

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  Maybe Dr. Gyal Lo would.

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  Yes. We have so much to learn from the Tibetan side. I have found strength and guidance from listening to the stories from the survivors of the residential schools in Canada, because there is confusion. If you send your kid to a school, are you choosing that school? When you've

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  Sophie, do you want to go?

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  I think it's in Canada's national interest. It's not just about protecting us. I think if Canada protects people in our communities better from the threat that we know the Chinese government is posing, then I think in the community—where all of the information resides about what

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  I was just going to say that Tibetans from Tibet will always say that you have to understand that the Chinese leadership respects strength. To tiptoe around them and to do whatever, to bend over backwards to avoid any uncomfortable exchanges, we can see that's not their approach.

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  Absolutely, and I think Canada has demonstrated in more ways than one that, as a nation, we're committed to a relationship and a friendship with China. I think that has to be coupled with sticking to our values for the betterment of all. I would say also that it's really importa

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  Absolutely, and the resources dedicated in a globalized world to the PR around all of this: That's the key. We know how much Beijing has invested in its global public relations strategy, essentially.

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  Yes. The 2012 State Council decree, I believe it was, was about how education in principle should be local, especially at the youngest stages. That was in 2012, and this very same State Council.... Now, note the timeline of 2015 and Xi Jinping and this whole second-generation eth

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  Really quickly, I would say that I think it's really important that we're not trying to say that this is the same thing. The intention of the government, the policy aims at the highest levels, I think are the same—the idea to assimilate or to force assimilation or to commit genoc

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  Yes, absolutely. We have seen under Xi Jinping a crackdown that people liken to the Cultural Revolution. Some Tibetan cultural practices and things used to be tolerated or seemingly harmless, such as hanging prayer flags or building Tibetan Buddhist statues. Now they are being d

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  Sure. I think I was saying that the Chinese government would love nothing more than for all of these issues to be addressed separately and in silos. There are so many linkages, and there is a way that I think we need to.... The Tibetans, Uighurs and Hong Kongers are all working

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  Absolutely. We couldn't agree more. Actually, in December, the U.S. State Department sanctioned two officials in Tibet. I can send you the info. That was hugely momentous for Tibetans. It's new, and a lot has been going on in the world, so I don't think many people know about it.

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  Sophie, did you want to do the DNA, just a quick DNA link...?

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  Yes, I was going to say that we are looking into who there is that we could hold accountable, whether they are entities or whatnot. One thing that's an interesting new area that's really clear for us, especially because Dr. Gyal Lo has knowledge of all these people and characters