Team Canada is a Canadian trade delegation that left for China on February 9th and will remain there until the 18th. Composed of more than 600 members, including 8 Premiers, it was lead by Canadian Prime Minister Chretien himself. Falun Gong practitioners from Vancouver and from other areas of Canada decided to seize the opportunity to Hongfa and clarify the truth to the Team.
Right after New Year's Day, our practitioners started sending letters to the offices of the Premier of British Columbia and other Directors, exposing the evil forces, clarifying the truth, and introducing them to Falun Gong. We also talked to some Directors personally, and called their attention to the inhuman persecution suffered by millions of practitioners and their relatives. On February 5, a few of us interviewed BC Premier Du Xinzhi, a member of Team Canada. Explaining that the issue of Falun Gong in China involved serious violations of human rights, we asked the Team to inform the Chinese Government of the Canadian Government's position on the brutal crackdown. We hoped that in promoting trade relations with China, the Team could urge the Chinese Government to stop the crackdown on Falun Gong. The Premier listened carefully to our opinions and assured us that he would definitely pass the message to the Prime Minister. We also sent a public letter addressed to the Prime Minister to some non-governmental organizations, and more than 10 signed it.
At the News Conference on February 8, Falun Gong practitioners spoke to more than 10 groups, including human rights organizations, Environmental Protection Agency, Amnesty International, the Canadian Tibet Association etc. We updated the attendants on how Falun Gong practitioners were being persecuted viciously in China and pointed out that justice, human rights, and world peace are unconditional issues that cannot be exchanged for money or trade. We hoped that during the meeting with Chinese leaders, the Canadian Government would show their concerns over the crackdown on Falun Gong, and urge the Chinese Government to stop the persecution. The attendants responded to our speech by offering their full support, and the media competed with each other for the chance to talk with our practitioners.
Team Canada left for China on February 9. In the early morning, our practitioners held up an eye-catching banner on the road to the Vancouver International Airport which read, "Help Stop the Persecution of Falun Gong in China." More than 40 practitioners in yellow T-shirts stood at the entrance of the boarding gate, holding banners that said, "Remember to Say: Stop Persecuting Falun Gong" and "Falun Dafa is Righteous." Many visitors noticed our banners. When the flight crew of China International Airlines came by, all of our practitioners gave them friendly smiles. Although they were scared to talk to us because of the influence of the Chinese media, they were certainly impressed by Falun Gong practitioners' peaceful actions.
The airport set aside a large space for us near the boarding gate so that we could demonstrate the five sets of exercises to those waiting to get on the airplane. We did the exercises to the beautiful music and many Chinese and Western media interviewed us.
The Master said, "Our informing the world of the truth isn't any sort of political struggle, nor is it doing things with specific ends in mind. I'm telling you that this is your being benevolent, and you are [doing this to] truly save people of the future!" (Speech by the Master at the Western US Cultivation Experience Sharing Conference) During all of our activities at the Hongfa to Team Canada, we regarded the Fa as Teacher, and we always kept a benevolent and peaceful heart for the Prime Minister, the corporate representatives, the non-governmental organizations, and some other organizations that we never got the chance to meet. Because of our pure hearts and pure actions, more and more people began to learn the truth of Falun Gong, and we won more and more sympathy and support from these kind-hearted people. We really understand that the process of Fa rectification is also a process of self-cultivation. Let's follow the Master, continue to do a good job with whatever we should do, and walk each step properly back home.
Vancouver Practitioners
February 10, 2001
