The House of Commons in Canada unanimously approved a motion acknowledging Tibet’s right to self-determination. The motion was proposed by Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe, a Member of Parliament from the Bloc Québécois, and received full backing from all the MPs present during the vote on Monday. It’s worth noting that the Canadian Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, was not present in the chamber at the time of the vote.

Julie Vignola, another MP from the Bloc, highlighted the importance of the motion, stating that it was the culmination of over a year’s worth of discussions and negotiations.

Canadian Parliament
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The Canada Tibet Committee (CTC) expressed their joy at this development, announcing with great excitement that the Canadian Parliament had unanimously passed a motion affirming Tibet’s right to self-determination.

The motion accuses China of systematically assimilating Tibetan culture and recognizes that Tibetans, as a distinct people and nation, have the right to self-determination. It further stipulates that Tibetans should have the freedom to determine their own economic, social, cultural, and religious policies without any outside interference. This includes preventing China from interfering in the selection of the next Tibetan spiritual leader, who will succeed the 14th Dalai Lama.

This move is likely to provoke China, which considers Tibet as part of its territory. Sherap Therchin, the Executive Director of the CTC, praised the motion as a “historic landmark.”

He pointed out that it strengthens the Tibetan cause against Beijing’s assertion that Tibet has been a part of China since it was annexed in 1950. He added, “While this motion may not be legally binding, it remains a part of the government record. It’s a significant step that goes beyond the typical human rights perspective. We hope this will motivate the government to take additional measures.”

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