The Senate
Motion to Call Upon the Government to Impose Sanctions against Chinese and Hong Kong Officials for the Violation of Human Rights--Debate Adjourned
October 29, 2020
Pursuant to notice of September 30, 2020, moved:
That the Senate of Canada call upon the Government of Canada to impose sanctions, pursuant to the Justice for Victims of Corrupt Foreign Officials Act (Sergei Magnitsky Law), against Chinese and Hong Kong officials for the violation of human rights, civil liberties and the principles of fundamental justice and rule of law in relation to the ongoing pro-democracy movement in Hong Kong.
He said: Honourable senators, obviously I won’t repeat everything I said in my previous speech. My overall point is that it is time for Canada to start standing up to the communist regime in China. We can no longer allow them to push us around and hold us hostage because we have become so heavily reliant on them for trade and cheap goods.
They behave like a loan shark or like someone blackmailing you. At some point, you have to make the decision that you’re going to take what you have coming, no matter how much it hurts. That’s what Canada has to do. We have to start defending not only our own interests but also the interests of others. That’s who we are as a nation. Like Sergei Magnitsky, we stand up for what’s right and not what’s easy.
What’s right is for us to stand up for the people of Hong Kong. The communist regime in China is breaching an international treaty with respect to Hong Kong. It is clear the CCP is intent on pushing through its One China policy. It started last year with the proposed extradition policy that first prompted the pro‑democracy protests in Hong Kong that has turned into a full-blown and ongoing dismantling of civil liberties in Hong Kong. This is being done through the new national security law that was brought in on June 30 of this year, one hour before the twenty-third anniversary of the turnover of Hong Kong to China following British rule.
The national security law criminalizes any act of secession; subversion — undermining the power of authority of the central government; terrorism — using violence or intimidation against people; and collusion with foreign or external forces.
Those broad powers are being abused by the Chinese communist regime to crack down on dissent. Make no mistake; this is a draconian law with far-reaching powers and implications that completely undermine the principles of freedom and the rule of law. It strips citizens of the most fundamental rights, including the right to protest and the right to a fair trial.
If you think that is something that’s just happening over there, think again. This law actually applies to non-permanent residents, including people from outside Hong Kong. And the CCP is using it not only to chill dissent in Hong Kong itself but also right here in Canada.
Just a few weeks ago, I was privileged to take part in a Zoom meeting with a few different organizations operating in Canada that are trying to draw attention to the plight of Hong Kongers, and it hasn’t been easy. With COVID and all the other challenges we face, unfortunately people are not as preoccupied with democracy; they’re not preoccupied with basic human principles anymore. There was one participant who wouldn’t even show his face or use his name. Why? Because he is a student in Canada, and if he ever wants to go back to Hong Kong, he doesn’t want to get arrested. Imagine. That’s just one example.
Proxies operating on the CCP’s behalf are employing intimidation measures here in Canada. Even China’s own ambassador to Canada recently threatened the 300,000 Canadians living in Hong Kong should Canada step out of line, and all our government had to say is that it’s inappropriate. It’s not his first threat since being named ambassador to Canada. Last year, he threatened the Senate of Canada if we dared pass a motion similar to this one.
He should have been warned then. He should have been shown the door then. The Canadian government should have shown strength and firmness, and there certainly should be an apology forthcoming for his latest threat. If not, he should have been shown the door the second time, after making the same threat. These are the kinds of actions our government should be taking each and every day we deal with this malign regime.
The threats are real, colleagues. Activists have been disappearing from the streets of Hong Kong, some while on their way to the U.S. Consulate to claim asylum. And there are many right here in Canada, like the student I described earlier, who had a very real fear of being literally kidnapped off his own streets here in this country.
Earlier this week, self-exiled Hong Kong activist Nathan Law appeared at the House of Commons Special Committee on Canada-China Relations, during which he referred to the national security law as a weapon designed by Beijing to intimidate pro‑democracy activists in Hong Kong.
Colleagues, yes, there is much at stake in standing up to the Chinese Communist Party. But it is the right thing to do, and we should do it with courage.
As I previously stated, the CCP is one of, if not the greatest threat facing our country today. It was done by design. However, we must not continue down this path of appeasement. It serves only to further embolden them.
Not only do we need to stand up to China with our tone, we need to do so with our actions. That starts by imposing Magnitsky sanctions for the total disregard for democracy, freedom and the rule of law — the most fundamental of rights for the people of Hong Kong.
We see a lot of media coverage here in Canada about what’s happening in the U.S. Yes, it’s important, because they are the world’s largest superpower and our greatest ally and trading partner. People have the right to protest. People have the right to fight for the principles they believe in. It’s fundamental to our democracy. This is true here in Canada and all over the world where we believe in the principle of democracy.
Colleagues, what is going on in Hong Kong needs to be called out and action has to be taken. Every day I get the emails — and I know you do too — emails from individuals and groups right here in Canada and around the world. I’ve met with several of them, including Hong Kong Watch but also smaller groups like Canada-Hong Kong Link and others based in Saskatchewan. Across Canada, these people are begging to be heard. They’re begging to be saved from tyranny. They are afraid, truly afraid. Talk to them. Pick up the phone when they email you and you’ll realize there are real people at the other end of the line with families that are being abused, tortured and imprisoned back home in Hong Kong by this Chinese regime. There are actual human beings behind this issue.
I have signed every joint letter that comes across my desk. I signed another one yesterday as a member of the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China. I will keep signing on to these initiatives and keep raising my voice about this until our government takes things seriously where China is concerned. China needs to understand that if they want to continue to do business with Canada, it has to be under our terms.
Colleagues, I hope you will support this call to action to apply this very apt law. We’ve done it before. There is no good reason why it shouldn’t apply here. There just has to be the will on the part of the government, colleagues. The government has to put some teeth behind our messaging to China.
I want to finish by saying this: Canada is a country that was built on the foundation of sacrifice, fighting back tyranny. Each and every one of us who came to this country — either through immigration or born to parents of immigrants, and all of us came through that route — came because of our freedom, our democracy and the opportunity it provides us. That’s what Canada is all about. If we are going to sacrifice those principles because there are some consultants in law firms and some former bureaucrats who are living off retainers from China, and if we sacrifice everything this country has been built upon, then shame on us. We have an opportunity to send the message that we’re not going to be sold for just a few thousand dollars of retainers for a few opportunists. Thank you very much.