Canada: Events Held in Calgary and Edmonton Call Attention to Chinese Regime’s Persecution

(Minghui.org) Falun Dafa practitioners held rallies in Calgary, the largest city in Alberta, Canada, and Edmonton, the capital of the province, on July 20 and 22, 2023. They marked the 24th anniversary of their protesting the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) persecution.　

On the afternoon of July 20, practitioners gathered in front of the Chinese Consulate in Calgary to peacefully protest the persecution. They lined up along the avenue, holding banners in Chinese and English.

Rally near the Chinese Consulate in Calgary

Spokesperson Yang Jiefu of the Calgary Falun Dafa Association explained what Falun Dafa is and how the CCP has persecuted the spiritual practice for 24 years. “This persecution has gone on for a long time, involved a large number of people, and mobilized a lot of resources. The intensity of this persecution has never been seen before.”

Spokesperson Yang Jiefu of the Calgary Falun Dafa Association

He said that over the past 24 years, Falun Dafa practitioners have adhered to their belief in Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance, raised awareness of the persecution, and exposed the true nature of the CCP. He called on people to help end the brutality.

Victim of the Persecution Describes How He Was Tortured

Tian Shaochun from Liaoning Province, China, moved to Calgary a year ago, and said that he and his family were victims of the CCP’s genocide against Falun Dafa. His parents were incarcerated in labor camps, his sister was detained, and he was arrested many times and locked up in labor camps twice. “In the labor camp, many other practitioners and I were subjected to all kinds of inhuman treatment, including being beaten, shocked with electric batons, force-fed, handcuffed, slave labor, and we were deprived of sleep. Such atrocities happen every day.”

Tian Shaochun described the persecution he endured in China.

He said that in Chaoyang Labor Camp in 2005, he and more than twelve other practitioners were forced to stand in the corridor for hours because they would not recite the camp rules. “At night, police tortured us with electric batons. Blue arcs flickered on our heads, faces, mouths, and necks until the batons ran out of power.”

Appalled By the CCP’s Live Organ Harvesting

Psychosocial scientist Alice Pesta slowed down as she passed by the Chinese Consulate and she read each banner. She said that she lived in a nearby apartment and saw Falun Dafa practitioners gather in front of the Chinese Consulate every year. “I am deeply moved by their persistent efforts to raise awareness.”

Psychosocial scientist Alice Pesta

She said that she was from Czechoslovakia and thus struggled under the oppression of communism for many years. “It is important to tell Canadians about the true nature of communism.”

She said she often talks about Falun Dafa with her family and friends. “I have a friend who is Chinese. She knows that Falun Dafa is being persecuted by the CCP. She sympathizes with practitioners and cannot accept the CCP’s behavior.”

As she talked about practitioners being tortured and even subjected to live organ harvesting, she pointed to her eyes and said, “I am crying because such things are terrible, and because Falun Dafa practitioners are such a peaceful group of people.”

Pesta explained that she is an organ recipient and had two kidneys transplanted in Canada. “When I heard how practitioners have their organs harvested, my heart was broken.” She said it is absolutely unacceptable to kill another person in order to save one’s life, “There is no reason in the world that the life of the recipient of the organ is more noble than the life of the person whose organ was taken. Live organ harvesting is such a terrible crime. This is terrorism, and communism is terrorism.”

She said that the Canadian government should sanction the CCP, and governments of all countries should unite to fight against the CCP. “Don’t think that you can stay out of it. What happens in China, if you don’t stop it, can happen in other countries, like Canada. This is true. If people don’t speak up, if the government doesn’t say no firmly, the evil will spread elsewhere.

“If more and more countries and governments speak out, this persecution can be stopped.”

Government Employee Stops Chinese Consulate Staff from Taking Pictures

Simon, who works for the Canadian government, and his wife passed by the Chinese Consulate, accepted a leaflet a practitioner was handing out, and talked with him.

Simon noted two young men in the consulate, who were probably staff members, taking pictures of himself and the practitioner. He immediately confronted them and asked, “This is not China. I am a Canadian. I am a federal government employee. Why did you take photos of me and my wife without my permission? Where are you going to send those photos? To the CCP government? I ask you to delete it immediately, otherwise I will not leave.”

At first, the photographer said that he did not understand English and was unwilling to cooperate, but under Simon’s insistence, he had no choice but to delete the photos from his mobile phone.

Simon said that he saw practitioners peacefully protesting in Montreal seven years ago. Since then, he has learned about Falun Dafa and that it has been persecuted by the CCP for years. “I absolutely support practitioners and their struggle for freedom and rights.”

Event in Edmonton

On July 22, practitioners held an event at the Old Strathcona Farmer’s Market in Edmonton to mark the 24th anniversary of their peacefully protesting the persecution. Some of them practiced the exercises, some talked to passers-by or collected signatures on a petition to stop the persecution and live organ harvesting.

Practitioners held an event at the Old Strathcona Farmer’s Market on July 22

Practitioners talk to people about Falun Dafa and the CCP’s persecution

Many people stopped to watch the exercise demonstration. Some were interested in learning how to practice. A young man from Toronto said that he was looking for a meditation method. A practitioner recommended he read Zhuan Falun, the main text of Falun Dafa, and said that he would find answers to all his questions in the book. He happily accepted a leaflet and a small card with information about a free online workshop where he could learn the exercises.

Many Canadians stopped to sign the petition to stop the persecution. One couple said that they would tell their MP that Canada should support Falun Dafa and call for an end to the persecution.

Doug Miller (right) said that people should speak up about the persecution.

An elderly man named Doug Miller said that people should wake up after learning about Falun Gong being persecuted for 24 years and subjected to organ harvesting. He said, “People don’t want to know about many things happening in the world today, but not wanting to know doesn’t mean that evil doesn’t exist.

“People should wake up, that’s the first thing to do. Then the next step is to speak up and protest against these crimes, this crime of genocide. We should wake up, step out of our comfort zone, and call for an end to crimes against humanity and the persecution of Falun Dafa. It must end.”