Letter from the Vancouver and District Labour Council to Canadian Prime Minister Prior to Trade Trip to China

September 12, 2001

The Right Honourable Jean Chretien
Prime Minister of Canada
House of Commons
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 9A6

Dear Sir:

The Vancouver and District Labour Council represents 123 affiliated local unions with a combined membership of some 58,000 men and women trade unionists in the Greater Vancouver area.

You are no doubt aware of the continuing persecution of Falun Gong practitioners by Chinese authorities and the resulting destitution and dispossession of same. We hope that during the upcoming Team Canada visit to China you will convey to the Chinese authorities our deep concern for the well-being of Falun Gong detainees and request their immediate release.

During previous trade missions to China, you courageously raised the issue of human rights with Chinese leaders and are to be commended for same. As such, we respectfully request that you keep pressing this issue with the Chinese until such time as China is made to understand that to participate and benefit from trade with Canada and the rest of the industrial world, human rights must be respected.

Now that China is going to host the 2008 Olympic Games, world attention will be focused on their human rights record. It is surely in their best interest to adopt a human rights policy as laid out in UN conventions.

We wish you success on your upcoming trade mission to China and hope to see you on the 6 o'clock news defending the rights of those that choose to practice Falun Gong.

Yours very truly

John Fitzpatrick

Secretary Treasurer