November 11, 2008
No. 212
The Honourable Lawrence Cannon, Minister of Foreign Affairs, today issued the following statement regarding the harsh prison sentence handed out to pro-democracy supporters in Burma:
"Canada is deeply concerned to learn that 14 members of the 88 Generation Students group have each been sentenced to 65 years' imprisonment. We call on Burmese authorities to release all political prisoners immediately.
"Freedom, democracy, human rights and the rule of law are values fundamental to Canada's foreign policy. We call upon the Burmese regime to respect the human rights and fundamental freedoms of all the people of Burma. We continue to urge the regime to begin a genuine dialogue with the democratic opposition and ethnic minorities in order to foster a political process leading to the full restoration of democracy.
"Canada has shown its solidarity with the people of Burma by imposing the toughest sanctions in the world on its regime and by conferring honorary Canadian citizenship on Nobel Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi in recognition of her struggle to promote freedom and democracy in that country. Canada was also one of the first countries to respond to Cyclone Nargis, which struck Burma in May 2008, and has contributed more than $25 million to relief efforts."
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