Ban forced organ harvesting
Petitioners ask Parliament to ban forced organ harvesting by amending Canadian law, pass a resolution, and demand an end to Falun Gong persecution. The government responds it condemns abuses and has enacted laws and sanctions.
Why we would sign this petition
- It would create Canadian legal tools and a clear parliamentary stance to discourage forced organ harvesting and transplant tourism.
- Changing the law and issuing a resolution could strengthen protections for potential victims and support prosecutions or prevention efforts.
- A public call to end Falun Gong persecution would increase diplomatic pressure and international attention on alleged abuses.
Why we wouldn’t sign this petition
- Claims about the scale and nature of organ harvesting are contested; major policy should rest on independently verified evidence.
- Strong measures could strain diplomatic and trade relations with China, affecting other priorities.
- Enforcing extraterritorial bans and prosecuting transplant-related offences can be legally and practically complex.
The summary and both sets of reasons are AI-generated from the petition and given equal weight. Claims are the petitioners’ own; consult the official record for the full text.
Official petition
PETITION TO THE HOUSE OF COMMONS IN PARLIAMENT ASSEMBLED We, the undersigned residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following: Whereas, Falun Gong is a traditional Chinese spiritual discipline which consists of meditation exercise and moral teachings based on the principles of truthfulness, compassion, and tolerance; Whereas, in July 1999, the Chinese Communist Party launched an intensive, nationwide persecution campaign to eradicate Falun Gong. Hundreds of thousands of Falun Gong practitioners have been detained in forced labour camps, brainwashing centres and prisons, where torture and abuse are routine and thousands died as a result; Whereas, Canadian lawyer David Matas and former Canadian Secretary of State for Asia-Pacific David Kilgour conducted an investigation in 2006 and concluded that the Chinese regime and its agencies throughout China have put to death a large number, in tens of thousands, of Falun Gong prisoners of conscience. Their vital organs were seized involuntarily for sale at high price; Whereas, The Doctors Against Forced Organ Harvesting (DAFOH) has got about 1.5 million petition signatures from over 50 countries and presented to United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights calling for immediate action to end the unethical practice of forced organ harvesting in China and calls for an end of the persecution of Falun Gong; Whereas, the European Parliament passed a resolution condemning the organ harvesting abuses in China and calls on the Government of China to end immediately the practice of harvesting organs from prisoners of conscience. Therefore we, the undersigned request the Canadian parliament and government to: A) Pass a resolution to establish measures to stop the Chinese Communist regime's crime of systematically murdering Falun Gong practitioners for their organs; B) Amend Canadian legislations to combat forced organ harvesting; C) Publicly call for an end to the persecution of Falun Gong in China.
Government response
Response by the Minister of Foreign Affairs Signed by Rob Oliphant The promotion and protection of human rights is a core element of Canadian foreign policy and a priority in our government’s engagement with the People’s Republic of China. Canada consistently calls on China to respect, protect and promote freedom of expression, assembly, association, and religion or belief – obligations that all States must fulfill. Canada has publicly voiced concern about the intimidation and repression of, inter alia, religious groups in China, including Falun Gong practitioners, and raises its concerns privately with relevant Chinese authorities whenever possible. Canada remains firmly committed to combatting all forms of human trafficking, including those related to organ removal. On December 15, 2022, legislation amending the Criminal Code and the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act concerning trafficking human organs received Royal Assent. This law established it as a criminal offence for Canadian citizens or permanent residents who travel abroad to receive an organ obtained without the donor’s informed consent. Canada joins jurisdictions such as the United States, the United Kingdom, Italy, Israel, Belgium, Norway, Spain, South Korea, and Taiwan that have passed legislation to combat forced organ harvesting, organ transplant tourism, and organ trafficking. Canada also works closely with other states, including China, to advance international cooperation against human trafficking. The Government of Canada actively promotes the implementation of the the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime’s Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children, which encourages collaboration to prevent and combat trafficking, including organ removal. Addressing the illegal organ trade remains a complex challenge that demands sustained global cooperation. Canada actively contributed to the development of the revised World Health Organization’s Guiding Principles on Human Organ and Tissue Transplantation, which all Member States, including China, adopted in 2010. During the 2024 Universal Periodic Review of China at the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva, Canada made specifically referenced Falun Gong practitioners when calling on China to end all forms of enforced disappearance. On December 10, 2024, Canada invoked the Special Economic Measures Act to impose sanctions on eight current and former People’s Republic of China officials for their respective roles in grave human rights violations, including those committed against Falun Gong practitioners. Most recently on November 11, 2025, the Minster of Foreign Affairs raise the situation of human rights in China, including the plight of Falun Gong practitioners, directly with her Chinese counterpart. Canada continues to express concern about the intimidation and repression of ethnic and religious minority groups, including Falun Gong practitioners, and raises these issues at appropriate opportunities. Canada’s goal is to ensure its engagement on human rights issues is effective and strategic. Canada uses the tools available to us, including public statements and diplomatic representations, both bilaterally and in multilateral forums, as well as in coordination with countries that share similar concerns. As the Canadian government works to advance Canadian interests in a rapidly evolving geopolitical context, Canada will continue to take effective, strategic action in support of democracy, pluralism, and human rights.