Letter from the Treasurer of the Ontario Division of the Canadian Union of Public Employees

The Right Honourable Jean Chretien
Prime Minister of Canada
House of Commons
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0A6

September 3, 2002

Dear Prime Minister:

It has been brought to our awareness that family members of Falun Gong practitioners here in Canada are currently imprisoned and tortured in forced labour camps or have "disappeared" in China for maintaining their beliefs. These Falun Gong practitioners in Canada need urgent intervention from our government to help rescue their loved ones before it is too late.

Our government was the first to speak up against the President of China's persecution and has succeeded in the rescue of three Falun Gong practitioners from China in the last two years. It is important that we continue to send a clear message to the President of China that we do not agree with this persecution of people who have proven themselves peaceful worldwide, and that this persecution, that is going into its fourth year, must end now.

It would be appropriate that such a message be clearly and publicly articulated during the APEC meeting in October 2002 when you meet face to face with the President of China, Jiang Zemin.

Yours sincerely,

Brian O'Keefe
Secretary-Treasurer