OTTAWA, April 21 – The Dalai Lama arrived in Ottawa with a jam-packed itinerary Wednesday but much of what was on the exiled Tibetan leader’s larger agenda has already been met.
Officials in Paul Martin’s office have insisted topics will be spiritual rather than political when the Tibetan spiritual leader meets the prime minister Friday evening.
To emphasize that point, the get-together is being held at the home of Rev. Marcel Gervais, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Ottawa, and includes other religious leaders.
But no matter.
Martin’s decision to make history as the first sitting prime minister to meet the Dalai Lama has brought enormous attention to the Tibetan leader’s fight for autonomy of his homeland.
And that is one of his biggest goals in this 19-day Canadian visit.
“Consciousness has been raised enormously among Canadians,” said Ian Prattis, who teaches religion and politics at Carleton University in Ottawa.
Prattis said Martin has also made a shrewd move, since the public response to the Dalai Lama’s visit – which continues next week in Toronto – has been overwhelmingly positive.
“There is such generosity in Canada for the underdog and Tibetans have been treated very cruelly the Chinese government over the last 50 years.”
The Dalai Lama – who was greeted a small crowd when he landed at Ottawa’s airport – will likely discuss his cause in meetings Thursday with opposition politicians and with MPs on the Common’s foreign affairs committee. It will probably be on the agenda again Friday in sessions with business leaders and social activists.
The 68-year-old monk has lived much of his life in exile.
Tibet was occupied Chinese troops in 1951 and in 1959, the Dalai Lama fled after a failed uprising.
He set up a Tibetan government in exile in India and from there, he has lobbied not for Tibetan independence but rather to become an autonomous region with cultural and religious independence.
Despite his role, which blends political and spiritual elements, the Dalai Lama has said he’ll wait for his host to raise any political issues at Friday’s meetings.
But other exiled Tibetans hope Martin will offer Canada’s help in bringing together Chinese authorities and the Dalai Lama to discuss the future of their homeland.
Martin has already incurred some anger from China, Canada’s fourth-largest trading partner worth $20 billion annually in two-way commerce.
Beijing accuses the Dalai Lama of being a separatist and has warned Ottawa not to risk trade ties welcoming him.
Observers say that’s mostly bluff.
“I think it’s diplomatic blackmail, hinting that perhaps our trade relations may not be as good as a result of meeting the Dalai Lama,” said Liberal Senator Jim Munson, a former television reporter who worked as a China-based correspondent.
While there, he said, he witnessed persecution of defenceless Tibetan monks Chinese authorities.
“I don’t think that (sanctions) are going to happen, trade relations are very strong, in fact, in China’s favour.”
Foreign Affairs Minister Bill Graham also suggested Wednesday he wasn’t too worried.
“Canada is a sovereign country (and) I think the Chinese respect that,” said Graham.
“I think it’s very clear the prime minister will be meeting the Dalai Lama in very much a religious context – a recognition of the Dalai Lama’s extreme importance as a Nobel Prize winner, as an inspiration for all of us.”
Cynics suggest Martin knows trade isn’t really at risk and is hoping a quick tea party with a large group of civic and religious leaders will win him some votes at little cost.
It’s a shrewd move.
With his close-cropped head, square glasses on a beaming face and flowing robes, the Dalai Lama has cut a colourful figure, drawing enormous media and public attention even before his arrival in Vancouver last weekend.
Crowds have far exceeded what organizers in British Columbia expected, forcing them to move events to bigger venues.
Prattis predicts that will continue in Ottawa, especially during his public talk titled “Living Peace” on Saturday afternoon and hosted rock star Alanis Morissette.
In part, that’s because the Dalai Lama has achieved a kind of rock-star popularity among the Hollywood set. Actress Goldie Hawn hosted a musical tribute to the spiritual leader Monday night in Vancouver.
But people generally are hungry for a world leader unsullied corruption or greed, says Prattis.
“People respond to him because of his overwhelming integrity. . .there are very few other leaders like that on the world stage at the moment,” said Prattis.
” It’s a response to someone of incredible quality and vision.”
