Tenzin Nyidon
DHARAMSHALA, Nov. 20: Three Members of Parliament delivered statements on Tibet and His Holiness the Dalai Lama in the Canadian House of Commons on Tuesday, marking a historic day of advocacy as more than 60 Tibetan delegates from across Canada convened in Ottawa for Canada Tibet Lobby Day 2025.
During the sitting, MPs Karim Bardeesy, Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe, and James Maloney each rose in the House to reaffirm Canada’s commitment to Tibetan rights, highlight the legacy of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, and call for 2025 to be proclaimed the “Year of Compassion” in honour of the Tibetan spiritual leader’s 90th birthday.
MP Karim Bardeesy reaffirmed the House’s 2024 motion recognising Tibetans as a distinct people and nation, highlighting their decades-long contributions to Canada and the vibrancy of Tibetan democracy in exile. MP Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe called on Parliament to declare 2025 the ‘Year of Compassion’ in honour of the Dalai Lama’s 90th birthday, urging recognition of Tibet as an occupied nation and the protection of Tibetans’ right to choose His Holiness’ successor without interference. MP James Maloney, Chair of the Parliamentary Friends of Tibet, reflected on 55 years of Tibetan presence in Canada since the first refugees arrived in 1970, praising the Dalai Lama’s enduring message of peace and supporting the call for 2025 to be designated the ‘Year of Compassion.’
The statements were made as over 60 Tibetan delegates from Toronto, Alberta, Belleville, and Ottawa gathered on Parliament Hill for Canada Tibet Lobby Day 2025, organized by the Canada Tibet Committee (CTC) in collaboration with Parliamentary Friends of Tibet and Tibetan organizations nationwide.
The central appeal of this year’s Lobby Day was for Canada to support the proclamation of 2025 as the “Year of Compassion”, in tribute to His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s 90th birthday. Delegates emphasized that such a proclamation would honour His Holiness’s lifelong commitment to non-violence, interfaith harmony, peace, and compassion, while reaffirming Canada’s support for the rights and dignity of the Tibetan people.
Throughout the day, Tibetan representatives met with a broad cross-party group of MPs, including Elizabeth May, Yvan Baker, Garnett Genuis, Sameer Zuberi, Michael Chong, Karin Bardeesy, James Maloney, Mona Fortier, Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe, Terry Sheehan, Ziad Aboultaif, Giovanna Mingarelli, Judy Sgro, Marcus Powlowski, and Taleeb Noormohamed.
Long-time Tibet advocate and Hollywood actor Richard Gere was in attendance during the parliamentary session, joining multiple meetings with MPs throughout the day. Gere joined all the delegation meetings, accompanied by Dr. Namgyal Choedup, Representative of His Holiness the Dalai Lama in North America, Tencho Gyatso, President of the International Campaign for Tibet, Bhuchung Tsering, ICT’s Research and Monitoring Lead, and Sherap Therchin, Executive Director of the Canada Tibet Committee.
