(Clearwisdom.net)

Toronto -- This Saturday July 20th marks the third anniversary of the brutal persecution of Falun Gong in China by Jiang's regime. A Canadian Member of Parliament (MP) and a Member of the Provincial Parliament (MPP) together with Falun Gong practitioners held a press conference inside the Ontario Provincial Parliament building in Toronto on July 16 to appeal to all circles of society to help stop the persecution of Falun Gong in China, as well as help rescue the 15 family members of 12 Canadian citizens and permanent residents who are currently illegally being detained by Chinese authorities for practicing Falun Gong.

Canadian MP John Godfrey and MPP Michael Pruce attended this press conference and made the following comments.

MPP Michael Pruce said in his speech: "I've come here today because quite frankly what is happening to people throughout China is really an international crime. People who have done nothing except teach truth and compassion and forbearance. I mean how could anyone be opposed to that, how could any civilized nation, how could any civilized person not agree that those are universal truths that certainly must be taught, must be learned, must be passed on from generation to generation. In fact for simply following a regimen of simple exercises, for believing in truth, and compassion, and forbearance people are ending up in jail in prison camps in horrendous conditions."

He also said, "We think that what they are teaching and what they are practicing is a wonderful thing, and we would like the Chinese government to look at us and to see what a good thing Falun Gong has been to Toronto and to Ontario-And if they would learn that lesson and do the same thing Falun Gong has done, then I think the situation in China would certainly be much better. I've certainly have been able to live very happily with them (Falun Gong practitioners), in fact we welcome them in our presence.

Well having said that I can only say we lend our support to those who are seeking to have all of the people who are in labour camps in China taken out of those labour camps. We believe that they are prisoners of conscience. We agree with Amnesty International that it is unfair and we support Falun Gong in all of your efforts to have those people freed and want full freedom for religious, and cultural, and social thought to prevail in China."

John Godfrey said in his speech: "I'm only one of a number of members of parliament from all parties who have been supporting the cause of Falun Gong and criticizing the Chinese government for the repression of Falun Gong which began three years ago. " He also mentioned that he would urge the Canadian government to take more powerful and effective actions to help stop this persecution.

Ms. Zhang Li, an environment engineer and Falun Gong practitioner representing those persecuted practitioners' families and relatives in Canada also gave a speech. She talked about how her husband, He Lizhi was illegally sentenced to a three and a half year prison term because he mailed some articles about Falun Gong to his friends.

He Lizhi, aged 38, was a senior engineer at the Ministry of Construction in China and has obtained many national awards and prizes from the Ministry of Construction for his outstanding engineering designs. Before he was arrested in July 2000, Mr. He already possessed an immigration visa issued by the Canadian Immigration Bureau (W922532004). Last month, Amnesty International started a campaign for the whole society to rescue He Lizhi.

Zhang Li said that the persecution had brought such pain and distress to both herself and her family that it was too intense to describe. She asked the Canadian government to help her and her husband to reunite as soon as possible and at the same time also asked them to help other Canadian citizens and permanent residents that are in a similar situation.

On the third anniversary of the persecution of Falun Gong, six cities passed a resolution to condemn the brutal persecution against Falun Gong in China. They are: The Township of Carling, Town of Harbour Brenton, The Town of Torbay, Township of Coleman, the Municipality of the County of Richmond, Town of Burin. These resolutions will be sent to the offices of the Canadian Prime Minister, Foreign Minister, Chinese President, Chinese Ambassador in Canada and UN General Secretary.