Tibet Post International
Jane Cook,
23 October 2015
Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau gave the keynote speech to delegates at the party’s biennial convention in Montreal on Saturday (Feb 22, 2014), his second speech after opening the convention Thursday. (Ryan Remiorz/The Canadian Press)
Dharamshala —Welcoming the incoming Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau,, The spiritual and political leaders of Tibet congratulated Mr Justin Trudeau on his party’s victory in the Canadian national elections.
In a letter, the spiritual leader of Tibet His Holiness the Dalai Lama stated that “during his visits to Canada over many years he has been touched by the affection and friendship shown to him by Canadians from all walks of life.”
The Nobel Peace laureate said “Canada extended a warm welcome to Tibetan refugees for resettlement on humanitarian grounds from the early 1970s onwards, a generous gesture for which we remain grateful.”
His Holiness also said he is “pleased to see that by and large they are contributing to the enrichment of Canadian life.”
He further added that “he was sure it would be a source of pride to his late father that, following in his footsteps, he too has now been elected Prime Minister of Canada. His Holiness wished Mr Trudeau every success.”
“On behalf of the Central Tibetan Administration and the Tibetan people, I would like to congratulate you and your party’s decisive victory in the Canadian general election and wish you all the best for your new responsibility as the prime minister,” Sikyong or the democratically elected political leader of the Tibetan people wrote in his congratulatory letter.
“I also wish to thank your party for endorsing the Tibet cause during the election campaign and encouraging the Chinese government to engage with the Tibetan political leadership in a spirit of constructive dialogue. As you have rightly pointed out, dialogue, not confrontation, is the key to resolving the critical situation in Tibet,” Sikyong said.
“I am grateful for the people and Government of Canada for their support to the Tibetan people by facilitating the immigration of up to 1000 Tibetans living in the state of Arunachal Pradesh in India. I look forward to your continued support on the issue of Tibet so as to resolve the critical situation prevailing inside Tibet,” he added.
“On behalf of all the Tibetan people, the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile wishes to congratulate you and your party for the victory in the recent election. It’s great to see you in the footstep of your late father on the same position and we hope you will take your country to a higher level,” said Penpa Tsering, Speaker of the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile.
“We have been very appreciative of your party’s support for the cause of Tibet and for His Holiness the Dalai Lama,” the Speaker added.
“We also express our sincere gratitude for the government and the people of Canada for their support towards Tibetan people by rendering immigration facilities for the Tibetans living in Arunachal Pradesh, India.”
“We wish you all the success in your endeavours and hope you will continue to play a pro-active role in reducing the current grave situation inside Tibet and in finding a lasting solution to the issue of Tibet based on the mutually beneficial Middle Way Approach of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Tibetan Administration-in-Exile,” he wrote.
Mr Trudeau, leader of the Liberal Party, is the son of former Canadian prime minister Pierre Trudeau. The new prime minister-elect has met His Holiness the Dalai Lama during his public talk in Toronto in 2004. He has also introduced His Holiness before the public talk.
