(Minghui.org) On May 8, 2024, more than twelve federal Members of Parliament (MPs) from different parties in Canada and Falun Dafa practitioners from Eastern Canada celebrated the upcoming World Falun Dafa Day on Parliament Hill in Canada.
Practitioners celebrate World Falun Dafa Day on May 8, 2024.
Multiple MPs celebrated World Falun Dafa Day on Parliament Hill with practitioners. In their speeches, the MPs highly praised the contribution of Falun Dafa’s principles of Truthfulness, Compassion and Forbearance to Canadian society, as well as the perseverance displayed by practitioners in opposing the 25-year-long persecution by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). They said they would continue to support Falun Dafa (also known as Falun Gong) and pass legislation to sanction those involved in the persecution.
Co-Chair of Parliamentary Friends of Falun Gong: The More People Practice Falun Gong, The Stronger Our Country Is
Judy Sgro MP, Co-Chair of Parliamentary Friends of Falun Gong
Judy Sgro MP, Co-Chair of Parliamentary Friends of Falun Gong, said, “I was worrying about you this morning with all the rain coming down. But you know what, I knew that you were going to be here, no matter what the weather was, whether it was beaming, hot, or raining, with your commitment to what you believe in. I know that each and every one of you were going to be here.”
She said she brought greetings on behalf of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and the Liberal caucus. She said, “Let me continue to applaud your tolerance, your belief. Falun Dafa is an exercise that many more Canadians need to do. I thank you for sharing that with us. Because it is a way to promote a peacefulness within, but it also promotes a peacefulness within our country. And I think the more people who practice Falun Gong, the better we are as individuals, and the stronger our country is.
“We are behind you and that you can count on us to stand together with all of you and to continue that kind of sentiment and messaging that you deliver not only in Canada but around the world, because you decrease the violence and that’s very much needed.”
James Bezan MP, Shadow Minister for National Defence
James Bezan MP, Shadow Minister for National Defence, said in his speech, “Happy Falun Dafa Day. I want to thank you for being so resilient and coming here year in and year out, raising your issues and making sure that all Canadians understand the prosecution and persecution that Falun Gong practitioners are facing in China.”
“For you that have come and called Canada home, thank you for bringing your values here and making Canada stronger. Truthfulness, Compassion, and Tolerance, what amazing values and fundamentals and when you put them together, you have accountability [on the persecution] and peace.”
He said, “And together, we can make Canada stronger and the world a better place.”
Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons: Presence of Falun Gong Practitioners Raises Profile of International Concern
Kevin Lamoureux MP, Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons
Kevin Lamoureux MP provided strong support and gave a big push for the S-223 bill passed to prevent forced organ harvesting.
He said that in fact today Falun Dafa is celebrated around the world. He recalled a number of years ago, he was in Kyiv, Ukraine, and he saw practitioners in bright yellow clothes. “And one of the things that I’ve always appreciated over the years, this time of year, on Parliament here, one day is recognized when people come up, whether it’s sunny or rain, just speaking the truth and making sure that people understand what’s taking place in other areas the world really does matter. Your contributions today mean a great deal to all parliamentarians of all political parties.
“I just wanted to take this opportunity to say thank you for what you do. You raise a very important not only national issue, but an issue that the world faces. And by doing it here on Parliament Hill, what you’re doing is you’re raising the profile of that issue, here in Canada. We’re also needing to be recognized, you have a role to play.”
Deputy Leader of the Opposition: People Need to See Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance
Melissa Lantsman MP speaks in the rally
Melissa Lantsman MP, Deputy Leader of the Opposition, Conservative Party, thanked practitioners for holding the celebration on Parliament Hill. She said, “This is your house as much as it is our house. It is the people’s house. And it is the people that need to see the compassion, the tolerance, the love that is shared by Falun Gong every single day in every single way everywhere. And it will not be the bullies in China that will quash this spirit.
“It will be just like it is in Canada, democracy, the rule of law, and compassion prevails. When that changes you will be there to teach the world as you always have the values that you practice, the values that you hold dear, and the values that you must continue to bring to the Parliament Hill every year until that change [stop the persecution] happens.”
Caucus Chair: Falun Dafa Is Good
Scott Reid MP
Scott Reid MP, Caucus Chair, said in his speech, “Falun Gong represents the eternal values that are at the heart of the Chinese culture.
“If you suppress the movement that expresses the deepest values of that [civilization], in the end those values will prevail. They will prevail because of the courage of people like yourselves back in China, who are willing to carry on with their practice despite this terrible oppression. That cannot be overcome. That will not be overcome.
He said practitioners’ beliefs are in Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance, “That message has been consistently practiced by millions of individuals across the world in the face of this oppression. It is an extraordinary act of belief in the value of those statements.”
“I just want to say Falun Dafa is good. It is very good indeed. Thank you every practitioner in the world for doing what you do, being you are, and staying true to your values.”
Co-Chair of Parliamentary Friends of Falun Gong: Thank Practitioners for Their Perseverance in Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance
Garnett Genuis MP
Garnett Genuis MP, Co-Chair of Parliamentary Friends of Falun Gong and Shadow Minister for International Development, Conservative Party, thanked practitioners for their continued efforts to stop the persecution. He said, “You preserve the beauty of China’s traditional culture, something that the communists have sought to distort and destroy. You preserve that culture and also advocate for human rights and justice. Indeed, you worked for the core Falun Gong principles of Truthfulness, Compassion and Tolerance.
“In this Parliament, we passed a bill to prohibit any Canadian complicit in forced organ harvesting and trafficking. We have continued to fight against the scourge of foreign interference in our country. And so much more is required to protect the freedom of Canadians here in Canada by putting an end to foreign interference.
“So I want to pledge to you my and the Conservative Party’s continuing collaboration and support on the important issues that we have worked together.”
Vice-Chair of Canada-China Legislative Association: Stand with Practitioners
Michael Cooper MP
Michael Cooper MP, Vice-Chair of Canada-China Legislative Association, said in his speech, “Falun Dafa practitioners are being persecuted for daring to stand behind the principles of Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance, which are the very antithesis of the evil ideology of the Beijing communist regime.
“For more than 20 years now, Dafa practitioners have been subjected to arbitrary detention, torture, rape, murder, and well documented organ harvesting. The crimes that the Chinese Communist regime has perpetrated against Falun Dafa practitioners are crimes against humanity. And we need to call the perpetrators of these crimes out for their evil actions.
“We need to impose Magnitsky sanctions against these officials. That’s the starting point. But we need to see that these perpetrators are finally brought to justice,” he said. “And in the meantime, we gotta continue to speak out and not be silent, and continue to be the voice of the voiceless forced suffering in detention for standing behind the principles of Truthfulness, Compassion and Forbearance. I stand firm with these principles that Falun Dafa stands for because those principles are principles for good.”
He said his Conservative colleagues and he stand with practitioners in solidarity.
Dan Muys MP
Dan Muys MP last year witnessed for the first time the Falun Dafa flag being raised at the City Hall in his hometown of Hamilton, Ontario. “We are recognizing Truthfulness, Compassion and Forbearance in Hamilton and across the country,” he said. “It’s important to speak out for those that are voiceless. It is our responsibility.”
Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance Is Our Common Value
Yvan Baker MP
Yvan Baker MP of Liberals, Member of the panel of chairs for the legislative committees, said that he learned about Falun Gong because 25 years ago when he received a call from a practitioner who introduced him to the practice. He encouraged people to talk about the issues. “It matters when you call your MP, when you speak to your neighbors, and when you speak to others.
“Falun Gong is a meditation based on the principles of Truthfulness, Compassion and Forbearance. And these are values that we all share,” he said. “In Canada, we also treasure our values of openness and diversity.
“I’d like to thank the practitioners of Falun Dafa for the meaningful and significant contributions you have made to this cause but also to Canada.”
Colin Carrie MP
Colin Carrie MP commended practitioners on their commitment to human rights, compassion and truthfulness. He said, “I want to wish you all the best in the years to come.”
Philippe Refghi, assistant to Pierre Paul-Hus MP
Philippe Refghi, assistant to Pierre Paul-Hus, Conservative MP and Quebec Lieutenant, gave a speech on behalf of Mr. Paul-Hus. He thanked practitioners for holding the celebration. “It’s extremely important in this day and age to cultivate the values of Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance that is exemplified in the spiritual practice of Falun Dafa,” he said.
Shadow Minister of Treasury Board: I Wish an Early Happy Falun Dafa Day
Stephanie Kusie MP (middle), Shadow Minister of Treasury Board, joins the celebration in Parliament Hill.
Stephanie Kusie MP posted on social media that she was pleased to wish an early happy Falun Dafa Day.
Her post reads, “Falun Dafa is a traditional meditation and self-improvement system of mind, body, and spirit; guided by the principles of Truthfulness, Compassion, and Tolerance. I remain grateful that in Canada, we are blessed with the freedom to openly practice our spiritual beliefs, and I was pleased to wish an early happy Falun Dafa Day to advocates on the Hill today!”
International Human Rights Lawyer: Falun Gong Resonates With the World
International human rights lawyer David Matas
International human rights lawyer David Matas said during an interview that Falun Dafa widely spread and there are numerous practitioners. It has persevered in the 25-year-long persecution. “Falun Gong resonates not only the Chinese population but also populations around the world. In addition to the benefits to the practitioners, it becomes the conscience of China. I appreciate it.”
He hopes that practitioners continue to work hard and celebrate. He encouraged practitioners to maintain and ensure the flow of information and continue to expose what is happening in China.
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