Response to an e-mail I sent (in early October of 2007).


The Office of the Right Honourable Stephen Harper, Prime Minister, has
forwarded to me on October 1, 2007, your email concerning the situation
in Burma. I regret the delay in replying to you.

I share your concern about the situation in Burma and the safety and
well-being of its people. Over the last months I have made several
statements on Burma. I have strongly reiterated Canada's condemnation of the
use of deadly force by the military and police against monks and other
protesters in Burma who were exercising their right to peaceful
dissent. I sent a Canadian diplomat to Rangoon to assess the situation and to
show Canada's support for the democratic movement. Canadian embassies
and high commissions around the world have been working with
representatives of other like-minded countries to seek creative solutions and to
coordinate our approach to Burma. In Ottawa, senior officials of Foreign
Affairs and International Trade Canada (DFAIT) called in the Burmese
Chargé d'affaires to ensure that Canada's interest in this matter was
clearly understood.

I have also called upon the Government of Burma to release all
political prisoners, including Aung San Suu Kyi. On October 2, 2007, I stated
at the United Nations General Assembly that it was imperative to restore
democracy and human rights in Burma. I invite you to view my news
releases and statements on Burma at
w01.international.gc.ca/minpub/ListPublications.aspx?isRedirect=True&PubTypeId=261&Year=2007&language=E.

On October 17, 2007, the Right Honourable Stephen Harper, Prime
Minister, tabled a motion in the House of Commons to confer honorary
citizenship on Aung San Suu Kyi, which was adopted by all party agreement. In
doing so, he stated: " We must ally ourselves with those in the world who
share our values, and especially those who are denied them.... The
adoption of today's motion sends a message to her, her people, and the
world, that Canada stands up for the universal values that are under siege
in Burma today."

On November 14, 2007, I announced that Canada intends to impose
economic sanctions against Burma under the Special Economic Measures Act in
order to demonstrate Canada's abhorrence for the regime's complete
disregard for the human rights and fundamental freedoms of the people of
Burma. These sanctions, the toughest in the world, will:

*ban all goods exported from Canada to Burma, with the exception of the
export of humanitarian goods;
*ban all goods imported from Burma into Canada;
*freeze assets in Canada of any designated Burmese nationals connected
with the Burmese state;
*prohibit the provision of Canadian financial services to and from
Burma;
*prohibit the export of any technical data to Burma;
*ban new investment in Burma by Canadian persons and companies;
*prohibit Canadian-registered ships or aircraft from docking or landing
in Burma; and
*prohibit Burmese-registered ships or aircraft from docking or landing
in Canada and passing through Canada.

Furthermore, a number of measures have been taken at the multilateral
level to address this situation. At the G8 Foreign Ministers meeting in
New York on September 26, 2007, I joined my counterparts in unanimously
condemning the violence in Burma and calling for a resumption of
dialogue. Canada continues to urge Burma's neighbours such as China and
India to encourage Burma to undertake genuine reform.

On October 12, 2007, I issued a news release following the United
Nations Security Council (UNSC) statement on Burma, which strongly deplores
the use of violence against peaceful demonstrators and emphasizes the
importance of the early release of all political prisoners and remaining
detainees. Moreover, Canada welcomes the UNSC's reaffirmation of its
strong and unwavering support for the mission of Mr. Ibrahim Gambari,
the Secretary-General's Special Envoy to Burma, as well as its
recognition of the resolution adopted by the United Nations Human Rights Council
on October 2, 2007. Canada also welcomes the efforts of Mr. Paulo
Sérgio Pinheiro, United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situation of human
rights in Myanmar, to address the situation in Burma, and has called
upon the Government of Burma to facilitate his work.

Canada will continue to work with the international community to put
pressure on the Burmese government to respect the human rights and
fundamental freedom of the people of Burma, and engage in a genuine dialogue
with the democratic opposition.

The promotion and protection of human rights is an integral part of
Canadian foreign policy. Canada will continue to stand up for human rights
and take principled positions on important issues to ensure that
freedom, democracy and the rule of law, values that define our country, are
enjoyed around the world.

Thank you for writing and sharing your concerns.



(The above is from Canada's Minister of Foreign Affairts.)