Stories From Clarifying the Truth during Hu's visit to Canada

Hu Jintao's visit to Canada provided Falun Gong practitioners with a good opportunity to clarify the facts to people. Over the two weeks prior to Hu's visit, anti-torture exhibits were held on busy Toronto streets and in front of the City Hall and Queens Park, the heart of Ontario's Provincial government. Various street activities also gave good opportunities to practitioners to distribute truth-clarification materials and collect petition signatures.

Practitioners in front of the hotel where Hu stayed

Prior to Hu's arrival in Canada, Falun Gong practitioners sent a petition letter signed by more than 100,000 people to the Canadian Prime Minister, Paul Martin. The letter read, "During the persecution of Falun Gong over the past six years in China, at least 2780 practitioners have died due to the persecution. Hundreds of thousands of practitioners have been imprisoned and mistreated. We hope that Prime Minister Martin will openly urge Hu to end the persecution of Falun Gong when they meet."

-Using all possible ways to allow Chinese people to learn the facts

In order to allow Hu Jintao and his retinue to hear or see the facts of the persecution, practitioners hastened to make many banners. They were not afraid of the difficulties and hung banners on highway flyovers on the route between the airport and the hotel where Hu stayed. Outside the hotel where Hu stayed, practitioners began preparing as early as 7 a.m. At around 11:30 a.m., Hu's motorcade secretly entered the hotel from a small street behind the hotel. The well prepared Falun Gong practitioners were the only group of people who actually "greeted" Hu's motorcade. Outside Hu's hotel, practitioners exposed the persecution and urged for an end to the persecution. Their appeal has not stopped.

-The beauty of Truthfulness, Compassion, and Tolerance awakens people

Around noon time, at the east side of Hu's hotel, a group of people circled several Falun Gong practitioners and cursed at them loudly. According to a practitioner's description of the incident, "They did not only curse at us, but they also pushed and pulled us and attempted to rob the banners in our hands. Later, police officers came and drove them away."

"Nevertheless, we persisted in not swearing back when sworn at, and not striking back when pushed or pulled," said the practitioner, "Later, a lady [who was part of Hu's 'welcoming team'] said to us with indignation that those people were from the Chinese Consulate. What they did was wrong. She went to argue with them, but they did not listen to her. That lady and her child then left the 'welcoming team'"

A young lady named Sarah-Grace expressed her wish to learn Falun Gong. She said, "This is the first time that I saw such people. All silently sitting in meditation... The tranquil and unique atmosphere has really touched me."

-Clarifying the Facts at Niagara Falls

Hu and his party went to visit Niagara Falls, 150 km away from Toronto, in the afternoon. Some practitioners were also there.

Two practitioners named Mr. Liu and Mr. Ran drove into the Niagara Fall area. Police vehicles behind them had sealed off the road. As soon as they unfurled a huge banner which read, "Hu Jintao, the time Gods and people give you is limited", Hu's motorcade passed by. The Falun Dafa banner was the first thing Hu saw.

Ms. Wu unfurled a Falun Gong truth-clarification banner there also. She stood at the exact place where Hu Jintao got out of his car. When she was close to Hu and his party, she shouted, "Falun Dafa is great!" and then played the song, "Falun Dafa is good."

One practitioner, Ms. Zhou, held a sign that exposed the persecution suffered by Mainland practitioner Ms. Gao Rongrong. She stood on a passageway where one can overlook all of Niagara Falls. After seeing Hu Jintao and his party she walked over and held up a sign with "Immediately stop the persecution!" on it and shouted "Bring the evildoers who persecute Falun Gong to justice!"

-Canadian government's supportive response

On September 9th, 2005, Canadian Prime Minister Martin raised 10 human rights cases, including the issue of Falun Gong, during his meeting with Hu Jintao in Ottawa. He clearly pointed out that Canadian people pay attention to China's human rights record. During his talk with Hu, he emphasised human rights and not trade.