Canadian Member of Parliament Dan Muys applauded Shen Yun Performing Arts and its return to Toronto after what the company described as a Chinese Communist Party transnational repression campaign to stop its performances.
“I wanted to be here in person to show solidarity with Shen Yun and with the Falun Dafa organization because of the threats that were made by the Beijing communist regime that caused this to be postponed after the first two performances,” Mr. Muys said. “That's just wrong. And so it's great to be back.”
Ms. Hazell said, “I know you were fighting back, I know you were pushing, and this is why we came to Canada—because it's free, it's democracy. ”
Mr. Muys said, “We can't succumb to Chinese transnational repression. It's inappropriate. That's not who we are in Canada. We have freedom of expression, freedom of religion, freedom of culture.”
Mr. Muys said, “It's really a performance for all senses, because you've got what you see in front of you, the beautiful sounds, and the screen, and how that's integrated with the storytelling that's going on. You're looking in all directions.”
Ms. Hazell said, “Some of the issues that are happening in China right now that we're all hearing about, I actually saw it displayed on stage.”
Mr. Muys said, “There's a commonality from the divine, from the Creator of good and being good to one another and how we comfort our lives. And so that is expressed here through this message that's being given in the Shen Yun performance.
“If we're intimidated on our own streets and [in] our own country by foreign powers, we have to stand up and say, ‘These are the values we stand for. We stand for human rights.’”
He told Shen Yun's performers, “Notwithstanding any pressures that you're feeling, or what you're seeing happening around, you are living examples of the courage that we need to see and that all Canadians should be exhibiting. And certainly, we stand behind you in that.”
Ms. Hazell said, “Congratulations to Shen Yun. We should not be sad about this. You fought, you won the battle, and here we are this evening. So, congratulations to you, and I'm going to be here many, many, many, many more years to come.”