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Canada and Tibet: A Chronological Highlight

Pre 1960

In 1895, Canadian missionary Dr. Susie Rijnhart became the first western woman to enter Tibet. Her attempt to reach Lhasa ended in failure with the death of her husband and infant son. Years later, she died in Tibet.

1960's

In 1960, 1961, and 1965, Canada voted yes for United Nations General Assembly Resolutions 1353, 1723, and 2079, which called for the end of practices that deprive the Tibetan people of their human rights and freedoms.

1970's

In 1971 and 1972, 228 Tibetan refugees were admitted to Canada from India under a new governmental program.

1980's

In 1980, His Holiness the Dalai Lama visited Canada for the first time. He was met by the Governor General. He did not meet with the Prime Minister of Canada.

1990's

In 1990, five representatives from the Canadian House of Commons and the Senate issue a joint invitation for the Dalai Lama to visit Ottawa in the fall of 1990. These five representatives then formed the Canadian Parliamentary Friends of Tibet.

On 28 May 1990, Canadian Ambassador to China (Diller) became the first representative of a foreign power to visit Tibet since the imposition of martial law. The visit included the signing of agreements for Canadian assistance to Tibet.

In October 1990, the Dalai Lama visited Ottawa for the first time. Secretary of State for Multiculturalism, Gerry Weiner greeted the Dalai Lama on the government’s behalf. During this visit, His Holiness was invited to speak at the Parliamentary Committee on External Affairs and International Trade, at which time his Five Point Peace Plan was tabled.

After the 1990 visit, Canada's position on Tibet's political status was amended to: “In 1970 when Canada established diplomatic relations with the People’s Republic of China, it recognized the PRC as the sole legitimate government of China. Canada takes no position with regard to specific Chinese territorial claims; it neither challenges nor endorses them.”

On 12 May 1993, the Parliamentary Sub-Committee on Human Rights and Development held a hearing on the current situation in Tibet.

In June 1993, the Dalai Lama visited Montreal and Vancouver where he offered Buddhist teachings. He was met by Canada's Minister of External Relations, Barbara McDougall. He did not meet with the Prime Minster of Canada, Jean Chrétien.

On 14 June 1995, the Senate of Canada passed a resolution on the situation in Tibet, urging Canada to encourage negotiations between China and representatives of the Tibetan Government-in-Exile.

In 1996, Canada de-linked the promotion of human rights from its trade promotion initiatives, with the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade stating "the recent Canadian government decision is not to tie its economic relationship with China to the question of human rights".

In 1997, with the establishment of Canada’s Bilateral Human Rights Dialogue with China agreement, Canada's position on Tibet was modified as follows: "When Canada established diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China in 1970, we recognized the PRC as the sole legitimate government of China. Canada does not recognize the Tibetan 'Government-in- Exile' led by the Dalai Lama based in Dharmsala, India."

In November 1999, the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade (DFAIT) conducted its first official visit to the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR).

In December 1999, CIDA announced its first bilateral development assistance project in the Tibet Autonomous Region. The Tibetan Government-in-Exile was not consulted.

2000

In June 2000, DFAIT's Secretary of State for Asia-Pacific Raymond Chan made an official visit to Tibet, the first ever by a Canadian official at the ministerial level.

2001

On 30 January 2001, more than 80 members of Parliament wrote to Prime Minister Chrétien asking that his office intervene with China in an effort to convene negotiations with representatives of the Dalai Lama regarding Tibet.

2002

In September 2002, while the Dalai Lama's Envoys were in Beijing to re-open the stalled Tibet-China dialogue, Prime Minister Chrétien endorsed "China's Tibet Cultural Week” by the Central Government's External Propaganda Department. Promotional materials referred to the Dalai Lama as a man "who engages in terrorist activities" and has "organized armed forces".

2003

In January 2003, the Government of Canada, via its embassy in Beijing, submitted a formal expression of concern to Chinese authorities following the execution of Lobsang Dhondup and death sentence of Tenzin Delek Rinpoche.

2004

In February 2004, the Canadian International Development Agency released a new policy framework prioritizing China's "western regions" for it development assistance projects. The framework focuses on poverty alleviation through support for equitable growth, sustainability, human rights and democratic development.

By April 2004, the Tibet-China Negotiation Campaign (TCNC) received support from more than 150 MPs. The campaign’s objective was to encourage the Prime Minister of Canada to broker a negotiated solution between representatives of the Dalai Lama and China for the peaceful resolution of the Tibetan issue.

March 2004, Letter writing campaign to the Prime Minister of Canada to be signed by Members in the House of Commons re. active Canadian role for the Tibet/China negotiations. The campaign surpasses its goal by having a majority of the Members (159) sign the letter.

April 22, 2004, Historic visit of His Holiness the Dalai Lama to Parliament Hill, Ottawa

May 12, 2004, Geshe Lobsang Tempa testifies before the Subcommittee of Human Rights and International Trade

May, 2004, Canada Tibet Committee makes presentations to the Subcommittee on Human Rights and International Trade of the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade

July 26, 2004, At the National Press Club in Ottawa, Champa Phuntsok, Governor of Tibet Autonomous Region, extends an invitation to Parliamentary Friends of Tibet Co-chair, Hon. David Kilgour, for a Canadian Parliamentary Delegation to travel to Tibet and have unrestricted access

September 2004, Tibet Representatives and Jared Genser of “Freedom Now”, Washington, USA, make presentations to Subcommittee of Human Rights and International Trade

November 30, 2004, Parliamentary Friends of Tibet constitution adopted

December 2, 2004, Adoption of motions in the Senate and at the Subcommittee of Human Rights and International Trade requesting that “Canada uses its friendly relations with China to urge it to enter into meaningful negotiations, without preconditions, with representatives of His Holiness the Dalai Lama to peacefully resolve the issue of Tibet

December 2004, The Hon. Pierre Pettigrew, Minister of Foreign Affairs, makes a public statement requesting China to stop the execution of Tibetan Monk Tenzin Delek Rinpoche

HHDL 2004 visit

2005

March 10, 2005, Statements in the House of Commons and Senate concerning Tibet

April 21, 2005, First year anniversary celebrations to honour the visit of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. More than 200 Members of Parliament wore Tibetan scarves Khatas in the House of Commons

June 2005, The House of Commons Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs passes motion to request Ministers Pierre Pettigrew and David Emerson, and officials of Bombardier to appear at Committee hearings concerning the Tibetan Railway Project

September 2005, Canadian Prime Minister Paul Martin, in a joint Press Conference with President Hu Jintao of the People’s Republic of China, raises the issue of Tibet and specifically encourages talks between representatives of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and China. 2005 visit

2007

February 2007, Common’s motion