102 Canadian Parliamentarians from all parties and both Houses wrote to Chinese President Hu Jintao June 6. Writing “in the spirit of friendship and respect,” the MPs and senators urged that negotiations with the Dalai Lama “begin in earnest with a firm commitment to reach a settlement within a reasonable timeframe.”
According to Senator Consiglio Di Nino, Chair of the Parliamentary Friends of Tibet, “His Holiness the Dalai Lama has remained steadfast in his commitment to reach out to China’s leadership in a spirit of compromise even in the face of continuing repression in his homeland.”
“In this Olympic year, we urge Hu Jintao to embrace the unifying spirit of the Games by reaching out to Tibetans with an open mind to bring this longstanding dispute to an honourable resolution,” said Di Nino.
Canada’s Parliament has actively taken up the Tibetan issue in recent years. All parties supported motions granting the Dalai Lama honorary citizenship (2006) and a motion calling for an autonomous Tibet within a sovereign China (Feb 15, 2007). In 2007, the Dalai Lama met with the Prime Minister, the Governor General, leaders of the all the opposition parties, and a large number of parliamentarians. Members of the PFT met with the Dalai Lama in April 2008 and delivered messages of support from all party leaders.
The Parliamentary Friends of Tibet (PFT) is an all-party group of Members of Parliament and Senators. PFT has become the voice for Canadian support for Tibet in Parliament. The group and its members actively encourage greater respect for fundamental human rights and freedoms for the Tibetan people. They support His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s non-violent conflict resolution efforts to achieve genuine autonomy for Tibetans through negotiations with China.
June 6, 2008
President Hu Jintao
President of the People’s Republic of China
Office of the President
Beijing
People’s Republic of China
Dear President Hu:
In the spirit of friendship and respect, we offer our cooperation in finding a solution to the longstanding Tibetan dispute.
It seems to us an honorable resolution is attainable. Your government is seeking assurances that Tibet will be an integral part of a sovereign China. His Holiness the Dalai Lama has accepted this as a condition for declaring the Tibetan Plateau a genuinely autonomous region where Tibetans can speak their language, practice their religion and cherish their culture.
Mr. President, while encouraged by your government’s renewal of contact with the Dalai Lama’s representatives, we strongly urge that negotiations begin in earnest with a firm commitment to reach a settlement within a reasonable timeframe. What is now required is trust and goodwill from each side to craft an agreement that achieves both China’s objectives and the Tibetan people’s aspirations.
We respectfully offer whatever assistance we may be able to provide to bring this dispute to a successful conclusion.
Sincerely,
Mr. Mike Allen, M.P., Mr. Harold Albrecht, M.P.
Mr. Rob Anders, M.P. , Mr. DavidAnderson, M.P.
Sen. Raynell Andreychuk, Mr. CharlieAngus, M.P.
Mr. Alex Atamanenko, M.P., Mr. Larry Bagnell, M.P.
Ms. Vivian Barbot, M.P., Ms. ColleenBeaumier, M.P.
Mr. James Bezan, M.P., M. BernardBigras, M.P.
Sen. Michel Biron, Mr. Ken Boshcoff, M.P.
M. Robert Bouchard, M.P., Mme. Diane Bourgeois,M.P.
Sen. Bert Brown , Mr. Patrick Brown, M.P.
Mr. Gord Brown, M.P., M. SergeCardin, M.P.
Ms. Chris Charlton, M.P., Sen. Joan Cook
Sen. Jane Cordy , Mr. Irwin Cotler, M.P.
M. Paul Crête, M.P.,Ms. Jean Crowder, M.P.
Mr. Roy Cullen, M.P.,Ms. Libby Davies, M.P.
Mme. Nicole Demers, M.P.,Mme. Johanne Deschamps,M.P.
Mr. Paul Dewar, M.P.,Dr.Ruby Dhalla, M.P.
M. Gilles Duceppe, M.P., Sen. Consiglio DiNino
Sen. Lillian Dyck, Mr. WayneEaster, M.P.
Mme. Meili Faille, M.P., Sen. JoanFraser
Mme. Carole Freeman, M.P., Mme. Christiane Gagnon, M.P.
Ms. Cheryl Gallant, M.P., Mr. JohnGodfrey, M.P.
Mr. Yvon Godin, M.P., Sen. Yoine Goldstein
Mr. Gary Goodyear, M.P.,Mrs. Nina Grewal, M.P.
M. Michel Guimond, M.P.,Sen. Mobina Jaffer
Ms. Marlene Jennings, M.P.,Mr. Randy Kamp, M.P.
M. Jean-Yves Laforest, M.P.,M. Mario Laframboise, M.P.
Mme. Francine Lalonde, M.P., Mr.Jack Layton, M.P.
M. Yves Lessard, M.P., M. YvonLévesque, M.P.
Dr. Keith Martin, M.P., Mr. Pat Martin, M.P.
Mr. Tony Martin, M.P., Ms. Alexa McDonough, M.P.
Mr. John McKay, M.P., M. SergeMénard, M.P.
Ms. Maria Minna, M.P., Mme. MariaMourani, M.P.
Sen. Jim Munson , Ms. Peggy Nash, M.P.
M. Pierre Paquette, M.P., Sen. LuciePépin
M. Gilles-A. Perron, M.P., Mr. PierrePoilievre, M.P.
M. Louis Plamondon, M.P., Ms. Penny Priddy, M.P.
Mr. Geoff Regan, M.P., Mr. Scott Reid, M.P.
Sen. Nancy Ruth , Mr. Michael Savage, M.P.
Ms. Denise Savoie, M.P., Mr. Bill Siksay,M.P.
Ms. Judy Sgro, M.P., Mrs. Carol Skelton, M.P.
Sen. Mira Spivak , Mr. Lloyd St. Amand, M.P.
M. Thierry St-Cyr, M.P.,Mr. Brent St.Denis, M.P.
Mme. Caroline St-Hilaire, M.P., Mr. Paul Steckle, M.P.
Mr. Peter Stoffer, M.P., Mr. DavidSweet, M.P.
Sen. Pierrette Ringuette, Sen. Jean-Claude Rivest
Mr. Todd Russell, M.P., Mr. AndrewTelegdi, M.P.
Mme. Ève-Mary Thaï Thi Lac, M.P., Mr. David Tilson, M.P.
Mme. Louise Thibault, M.P.,Mr. Alan Tonks, M.P.
Mr. Maurice Vellacott, M.P.,M. Robert Vincent, M.P.
Mr. Tom Wappel, M.P., Ms. JudyWasylycia-Leis, M.P.
Mr. Bryon Wilfert, M.
