Ottawa: Education Kalon (Minister) Dr Pema Yangchen and North America Representative Ngodup Tsering paid a visit to Ottawa on 30 July. The main purpose of the visit is to follow up with the Canadian Government on the education funding for Department of Education, Central Tibetan Administration.
The President and board members of Tibetan Association of Ottawa and Executive Director of Canada Tibet Committee extended a warm welcome at the airport. Kasur Tashi Wangdi and Gyurmey Wangdak, President of Ottawa Friends of Tibet were also present.
Kalon and Representative met with Director of Office of International Development. Kalon explained how urgent the funding has become as numbers of projects are awaiting the approval of new funding.
The Director assured her that the matter is receiving the highest support and consideration from the Government and formal announcement is impending.
Kalon and Representative also called on the Director of Inclusion and Religious Freedom and policy advisor. They updated them about the deteriorating human rights situation in Tibet and discussed on the outcome of the Ministerial to advance religious freedom convened by the US state department earlier last week.
Representative Ngodup Tsering informed them of China topping the list of countries violating human rights including that of religious freedom. The Director who himself had attended the Ministerial to advance religious freedom while agreeing said, Canada was one of the signatories to the Joint statement issued during the Ministerial on 26 August and assured to raise pertinent questions during the UN Universal Periodic Review (UPR) of China’s Human rights situation in November this year.
Kalon and Representative then met with Indian High Commissioner, and brought to his notice the visa problem facing Tibetans in Montreal and Ottawa. Both the High Commissioner and Deputy High Commissioner assured to address the problem. Kalon briefed them that His Holiness the Dalai Lama is in good health and busy with spiritual engagements in Ladakh.
The Tibetan community of Ottawa hosted a dinner for Kalon and Representative. Kalon Dr Pema Yangchen left for Denmark.
-Report filed by Office of Tibet, Washington DC-