FOREIGN Affairs Minister Marc Garneau on Monday said that Canada remains deeply disturbed by horrific reports of human rights violations in Xinjiang, including the use of arbitrary detention, political re-education, forced labour, torture and forced sterilization.”

Garneau said in a statement: “The free vote in Parliament ensures each member can make a determination based on available evidence. Taken together, these views will form Parliament’s view. We welcome parliamentarians working together and debating this critical issue.

“The Government of Canada takes any allegations of genocide extremely seriously. We have the responsibility to work with others in the international community in ensuring that any such allegations are investigated by an independent international body of legal experts.

“We have condemned human rights abuses by China alongside our Five Eyes allies, the G7, and the United Nations Human Rights Council and the Prime Minister raised this issue at the G7 Leaders’ meeting last week. The Government of Canada will continue to work with international partners to defend vulnerable minorities and we once again repeat our call for transparency and a credible international investigation in response to allegations of genocide. This investigation must be conducted by an international and independent body so that impartial experts can observe and report on the situation first-hand.”

A Conservative party motion in the House of Commons that said Chinese atrocities in Xinjiang region contravene the UN Genocide Convention passed by 266 votes to zero on Monday. Some Liberals MPs also supported the motion. The motion is not binding on the government.