In Canada, a row has broken out over a new group claiming to be a Tibet support group. The Tibetan Association of Canada held a launch event on April 20.
A letter of support for the new association was circulated on social media in advance of the launch; this letter claimed to be from Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. The Prime Minister’s office has refuted this claim: “A letter of greeting was not sent by the Prime Minister to the Tibetan Association of Canada. Our office is looking into this matter further,” said Matt Pascuzzo, press secretary for the Prime Minister’s Office, on April 23.
The launch was attended by leaders of the Confederation of Toronto Chinese Canadian Organisations, which has close ties to the Toronto Chinese consulate. The Canadian National Post reported, “The new head of the Tibetan Association of Canada explained how China had improved Tibetans’ lives and bolstered their religious freedoms during ‘60 years of democratic reform.”
The National Post report went on to say, “Established Tibetan organisations and activists — who consistently decry China’s actions in Tibet — charge that the new group is a front for the People’s Republic government, though they have no direct evidence of Beijing’s involvement. Regardless, it has already managed to attract politicians from three levels of Canadian government.”
Tsering Shakya, a University of British Columbia professor and expert on Tibet, said, “The association is a threat, as it will now muddy the water for politicians and others who do not look closely at what it really represents […] People are not able to distinguish between which is a genuine community-based organisation, and which is a foreign-government-funded organisation who’s lobbying on behalf of another government.”
The Canada Tibet Committee, an established and bonafide Tibet support organisation, is calling for a criminal investigation of the new association. Executive director Sherap Therchin said, “We are shocked at the extent this Chinese government-backed group went to deceive Canadians that they represent Tibetans in Canada […] We call for a criminal investigation of this association and appropriate actions be taken.”
The National Post stated, “Representatives of the organisation — also referred to on Chinese-language websites as the Tibetan Canadian Friendship Association — could not be reached for comment. The Toronto Confederation of Chinese Canadian Organisations, which helped set up the group and co-hosted a news conference for Chinese—Canadian media, also could not be reached.”
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