Hong Kong Watch visits Ottawa to meet with Canadian Members of Parliament and Senators

From October 17 to 20, Hong Kong Watch’s co-founder and trustee Aileen Calverley and policy advisor Katherine Leung met with Members of Parliament from Canada to discuss the expansion and extension of the Open Work Permit scheme, the Youth Initiative programme, Magnitsky sanctions, and the overall human rights situation in Hong Kong.

Open Work Permit scheme

We met with Jenny Kwan MP, Tom Kmiec MP, Brad Redekopp MP, Garnett Genuis MP, Marcus Powlowski MP, John McKay MP and James Bezan MP. These MPs support the extension of the scheme and the removal of the 5-year graduation restriction on the OWP and Stream B. These MPs have agreed to raise the issue in the Immigration Committee and to send individual letters to IRCC regarding the matter.

Magnitsky Sanctions

We met with James Bezan MP. We discussed the levying of sanctions against Hong Kong SAR officials involved in human rights violations, particularly Hong Kong prosecutors who contributed to the erosion of the rule of law through their involvement in National Security Law and protest-related cases.

This would be in agreement with the recommendation made by the US Congressional-Executive Commission on China in July this year, which cited “the role Hong Kong’s Justice Department and criminal prosecutors play in undermining the rule of law and detaining political prisoners.”

Youth Initiative Programme

We met with Hong Kong Watch patron Garnett Genuis MP. Our discussion included the Youth Initiative Programme.

Garnett Genuis MP expressed his support for the programme, especially providing young Hongkongers with work experience in the Canadian parliament. Having had a Hongkonger intern in the past, he values having staff with language skills, cultural knowledge and who will continue to advocate for Hong Kong. He has promised to take on a Hongkonger intern from our Youth Initiative Programme as early as Feb 2023.

Additionally, Tom Kmiec MP, Brad Redekopp MP, Jenny Kwan MP, Kyle Seeback MP and Senator Housakos have also expressed interest in taking on a Hongkonger intern from the Youth Initiative Programme.