Hong Kong Watch
香港監察出席加拿大國會加中關係特別委員會聽證會香港監察共同創辦人兼信託人 Aileen Calverley 10月 4日出席了加拿大國會加中關係特別委員會聽證會，就香港人權危機作證。會上香港監察除了向委員會講述香港最新的權狀況外，亦再次提出加拿大政府應延長及擴大救生艇計劃，並為抗爭者及在新聞、法律、醫療等專業界別中備受壓迫的人權鬥士提供移居加拿大的渠道。
香港監察亦希望委員會關注近日有報導指中國在世界各地建立「境外警署」，試圖監視境外的香港、維吾爾、台灣等的異見者。香港監察促請委員會留意中共正透過不同途徑干預加拿大的政治，希望委員會為香港人提供安全的離港途徑，並保護香港人在加拿大的自由及安全。
聽證會完整重溫https://parlvu.parl.gc.ca/.../PowerB... ... 4/-1/37742...
Hong Kong Watch Co-founder and Trustee Aileen Calverley testifies at the Special Committee on Canada–People’s Republic of China Relationship CommitteeOn Tuesday, the co-founder and trustee of Hong Kong Watch, Aileen Calverley, testified as a witness at the Special Committee on Canada–People’s Republic of China Relationship Committee.
Ms. Calverley’s testimony outlined the broad human rights situation in Hong Kong, including the state of press freedom, the persecution of pro-democracy individuals, and the need for Canada to expand and extend the Lifeboat Open Work Permit scheme, which is set to expire in February 2023.
“The HK pathway open work permit scheme announced by Canada two years ago is a start, but there are many gaps that need to be addressed. For example, the five-year restriction poses a barrier to many Hongkongers – even for recent graduates who meet the requirement at the time of application, by the time their work permit is received and the hours of work requirement is fulfilled they might already have fallen out of eligibility to apply for permanent residency under stream B of the scheme. Many frontline human rights defenders, such as journalists, pro-democracy activists and lawmakers, and medical professionals are currently not covered by Canada’s open work permit scheme. We recommend that the Government create a human rights defender’s category to address this gap, similar to the current policy for Ukraine,” said Ms. Calverley to the Committee on the issue of the Open Work Permit scheme.
Even Hongkongers who are able to immigrate to Canada are not free from the far-reaching hand of the regime. Chinese police are setting up offices in Canada, where dissidents continue to be harassed and intimidated by agents acting on behalf of the CCP. She said, “There are quite a few that have opened in Ontario, and one in Markham where I live. The Chinese police are openly doing this because there is no legislation to punish them, so Canada should have new legislation.”
Citing research by Hong Kong Watch, Ms. Calverley pointed out that the passive investment strategies pursued by both the leading Canadian federal and provincial pension funds, as well as university endowment funds have failed to properly factor in human rights considerations when investing the portfolios of Canadian pensioners. Holding of emerging market funds includes Chinese companies linked to forced labor.
Sam Goodman, Hong Kong Watch’s Director of Policy and Advocacy, said:
"We welcome the support members of the Canada-China Committee have offered to Hong Kong Watch and the backing for the extension and expansion of the Open Work Permit. We hope that those officials present from IRCC and Global Affairs will listen to the cross-party support in parliament and the urgent need for this scheme to be expanded to meet the human rights crisis in Hong Kong, and come forward with plans as soon as possible for the scheme's renewal and expansion."
Press Release
https://www.hongkongwatch.org/.../hong-kong-watch-co...
Full Testimonyhttps://parlvu.parl.gc.ca/.../PowerB... ... 4/-1/37742...
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