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Daw Aung San Suu Kyi’s message to Canada

By Canadian Friends of Burma  •  December 3, 2010

Burmese democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi sent a message to the government and the people of Canada through her sister-in-law, Mrs. Lucinda Phillips, yesterday at a meeting on Parliament Hill hosted by Parliamentary Friends of Burma (PFOB) and Canadian Friends of Burma (CFOB).

Her message is as followed:

“I deeply appreciate the award of Honorary Canadian Citizenship, both for myself and because it symbolizes the help that Canada has given my people. Canada has never faltered in its support for the democracy movement in Burma for which I am very grateful. I would particularly like to thank the generosity of the government for taking in so many Burmese refugees and the help that they have received when they arrived. A good example of Canadian generosity is the recent donation to the victims of Cyclone Giri in Western Burma which has scarcely impinged on the consciousness of the outside world.”

“I have always felt a particular closeness to Canada because of my French-Canadian mother-in-law, Josette Vaillancourt who was always proud to be Canadian and always kept her Canadian passport through living in England for over 60 years. I am also aware of the history of the Vailancourt family’s efforts to foster good relations between the peoples of Canada, something that I have always advocated for Burma. Lucinda [sister-in-law] will no doubt explain that part of the family history. Finally I look forward very much to the day that conditions in Burma will allow me to be free to visit Canada myself and thank the Canadian people in person. Thank you very much.”

Accompanied by Hon. Larry Bagnell, chair of PFOB and representatives of CFOB, Mrs. Lucinda Phillips also met Hon. Lawrence Cannon, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Hon. Beverley Oda, Minister of Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) and delivered the message.

Hon. Jack Layton, an opposition leader and the leader of New Democratic Party (NDP), also raised a question about an invitation of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi to Canada in the House of Commons yesterday. Hon. John Baid, the leader of the Government in the House of Commons, answered, “the government is certainly be pleased to continue to work with him on this important issue.”

NDP and PFOB that consists of more than 40 MPs and Senators from all political parties recommended Prime Minister Stephen Harper to invite her to Canada. Mr. Harper issued a statement calling her “an unwavering champion of peace, democracy and respect for human rights in Burma” after her release from the under house arrest last month.

After meeting with parliamentarians and political staffers from political parties in the morning yesterday, Mrs. Phillips also held a discussion in the afternoon with a group of long-time Burma supporters and founders of CFOB in the boardroom of Inter Pares, a major relief and social justice organization in charge of channeling Canadian humanitarian aid to Burma.

The Canadian Friends of Burma (CFOB) is federally incorporated, national non-governmental organization working for democracy and human rights in Burma. Contact: Suite 206, 145 Spruce St., Ottawa, K1R 6P1; Tel: 613.237.8056; Email: [email protected]; Web: www.cfob.org

Tags: Canada, Canadian Friends of Burma, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi

This post is in: Press Release

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