Hong Kong Watch co-hosts event on Countering Transnational Repression by the Chinese Communist Party in Canadian Parliament
On 23 April, Hong Kong Watch co-hosted a high-level advocacy event titled “Countering Transnational Repression” in the Canadian Parliament. The event was a resounding success, bringing together a powerful coalition of lawmakers, human rights defenders, and international diplomats to address growing transnational threats posed by the Chinese Communist Party to Canadian sovereignty and diaspora safety.
The event created a global gathering on Parliament Hill and was co-hosted by Uyghur Rights Advocacy Project (URAP), Canada Tibet Committee, Hong Kong Watch, and the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO) in Canada.
The event drew nearly 100 attendees, reflecting the urgency of the issue of transnational repression. The audience included Members of Parliament and their staff, government officials, journalists, and scholars. Significant international interest was demonstrated by the presence of diplomats from the United States, Australia, Czechia, Estonia, Malaysia, Poland, and the Netherlands, alongside members of the Hong Kong, Uyghur, and Tibetan diaspora communities.
The event opened with welcoming addresses from Hong Kong Watch Patron Senator Leo Housakos and TECO Representative Harry Tseng, both of whom emphasized the importance of democratic nations standing in solidarity against authoritarian overreach.
The program then featured a series of sessions exploring the experiences of diaspora communities in Canada, alongside expert insights and calls to action.
The first panel, moderated by Professor John Packer from the University of Ottawa, brought together community leaders including Aileen Calverley (Hong Kong Watch Canada), Mehmet Tohti (URAP), and Samphe Lhalungpa (Canada Tibet Committee). Panellists detailed how the CCP’s ongoing acts of transnational repression and foreign interference directly affect the daily lives and freedoms of their communities in Canada.
The second session featured speeches from a multi-partisan group of MPs and experts, including the Honorable Judy Sgro, MP Sameer Zuberi, Hong Kong Watch Patron MP Melissa Lantsman, and Hong Kong Watch Patron MP Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe. They were joined by Dr. Namgyal Choedup (Representative of His Holiness the Dalai Lama), Rushan Abbas (Human Rights Advocate), and Emile Dirks (Citizen Lab). Speakers underscored the urgent need for action to counter transnational repression in Canada.
Aileen Calverley, Chair of Hong Kong Watch Canada, highlighted cases involving the CCP’s repressive activities operating within Canada and raised serious concerns regarding the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed in January 2026 between the RCMP and China’s Ministry of Public Security.
In response, the coalition of civil society organisations represented on both panels urged the Government of Canada to immediately implement the following measures:
Full transparency: Release the text of the RCMP-China MoU and clarify its oversight mechanisms.
Legislative reform: Support Bill C-219 to modernise foreign influence laws.
Accountability: Apply Magnitsky-style sanctions against individuals orchestrating transnational repression.
Institutional resilience: Ensure all public institutions remain protected against undue foreign influence.
In addition to the panel discussions, the event featured a moving art exhibition. Attendees viewed eight paintings by Toronto-based artist-activist Ricker Choi, whose work powerfully visualises the struggle for freedom and the impact of repression.
The evening also included a reception, providing a vital space for guests to share ideas, exchange perspectives, and strengthen the bonds of the advocacy community in an informal setting.
We thank all co-hosts, MPs, speakers, and attendees for contributing to this highly successful event. We look forward to continued collaboration to raise awareness of transnational repression in Canada and to safeguard the fundamental rights of all Canadians.
香港監察合辦加拿大國會活動 呼籲政府採取行動對抗中共跨國鎮壓
4月23日，香港監察在加拿大國會合辦「對抗跨國鎮壓」高層倡議活動。活動圓滿成功，雲集多位國會議員、人權捍衛者和國際外交官，一同探討中國共產黨對加拿大主權和離散族群安全與日俱增的跨國威脅。
來自世界各地的人士齊聚國會山莊，參加這場由維吾爾權利倡議計劃（Uyghur Rights Advocacy Project）、加拿大西藏委員會（Canada Tibet Committee）、香港監察和駐加拿大台北經濟文化代表處（Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Canada）聯合主辦的活動。
活動吸引近百人參加，反映跨國鎮壓問題是當務之急。參加者包括國會議員及職員、政府官員、記者和學者。來自美國、澳洲、捷克、愛沙尼亞、馬來西亞、波蘭和荷蘭的外交官，以及香港、維吾爾和西藏的離散社群成員出席活動，顯示國際社會對這項議題的興趣濃厚。
香港監察贊助人、參議員Senator Leo Housakos和台北經濟文化代表處曾厚仁大使（Harry Tseng）致歡迎辭，兩人都強調民主國家必須團結一致抵抗威權過度擴張。
活動隨後進入兩場專題討論環節，探討加拿大離散社群的經歷，並提出專家見解和行動呼籲。
第一場討論由渥太華大學教授John Packer主持，講者包括社群領袖Aileen Calverley（加拿大香港監察）、Mehmet Tohti（維吾爾權利倡議計劃）和Samphe Lhalungpa（加拿大西藏委員會）。各人詳細講解中共持續展開的跨國鎮壓和外國干預行為如何直接影響相關社群在加拿大的日常生活和自由。
第二場討論由多黨派議員和專家發表演講，當中包括Hon. Judy Sgro MP、Sameer Zuberi MP、香港監察贊助人Melissa Lantsman MP和香港監察贊助人Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe MP。其他講者有達賴喇嘛尊者代表Dr. Namgyal Choedup、人權倡議者Rushan Abbas和公民實驗室（Citizen Lab）代表Emile Dirks。各人強調加拿大急需採取行動對抗跨國鎮壓。
加拿大香港監察主席Aileen Calverley重點提出中共在加拿大境內展開鎮壓行動的個案，並表示嚴重關注加拿大皇家騎警與中國公安今年1月簽訂的諒解備忘錄。
對此，兩場專題討論中的民間組織代表促請加拿大政府立即採取下列措施：
完全透明：公布加拿大皇家騎警與中國公安部簽訂的諒解備忘錄全文，並澄清監管機制。
立法改革：支持《C-219法案》，更新外國影響力相關法例。
追究責任：對策劃跨國鎮壓的人士施行馬格尼茨基式制裁。
機構抗逆：確保所有公共機構持續免受不恰當的外國影響力。
除了專題討論外，今次活動還設有動人的藝術展覽。參加者欣賞多倫多藝術家暨活動人士Ricker Choi的八幅畫作，他的作品強而有力地呈現爭取自由的鬥爭和打壓的影響。
當晚亦有招待會，為來賓提供重要空間，在輕鬆的環境下分享想法，交流觀點，並加強倡議社群的連結。
我們衷心感謝所有合辦團體、國會議員、講者和參加者的付出，讓這場活動順利舉行。我們期待繼續合作，一同提高各界對加拿大境內跨國鎮壓的認識，並維護全加拿大人的基本權利。