PETITION E3573 ON DEMOCRACY IN CUBA
Due to its historic significance, Democratic Spaces takes great pride in the presentation of PETITION E-3573, tabled in the House of Commons of the Parliament of Canada on March 4, 2022. This is the first petition critical of the Cuban dictatorship that it is presented in the House of Commons. As per the Standing Orders (the rules governing the House of Commons) government of Canada will be required to respond within 45 calendar days to every petition presented in the House of Commons.
The petition was initiated by Michael Lima and sponsored by MP Tony Baldinelli. Petitioners included all those that stand up for freedom and democracy in Canada from a wide variety of backgrounds.
Democratic Spaces thanks all those in the Conservative Party of Canada that have supported the cause of freedom and democracy in Cuba.
Tony Baldinelli, Conservative Party Member of Parliament for Niagara Falls, Niagara on the Lake and Fort Erie also publicly stated in a video on November 8, 2021 his support for the Cuban people's right to peaceful protest in the heat of the pro-democracy protests announced by the Archipielago Platform for November 15.
Senator Leo Housakos, publicly supported petition E-3573. Furthermore he signed and supported the Miami Declaration on November 20, 2021. The Declaration denounces the illegitimacy of the Cuban regime and recognizes the opposition as a valid interlocutor, and stops the financing of the repressive machinery in Cuba, among other agreements. On November 24, 2021, Senator Housakos presented a Notice of Motion to the Senate in Canada announcing the presentation of a motion that reflects his commitment to the Cuban-Canadian community and the Miami Declaration.
Pierre Poilievre, Member of Parliament and current Conservative Party leadership candidate has expressed his solidarity and commitment to the cause of democracy in Cuba. In March 2021 he stated in a letter his support for the E-3274 petition and on subsequent occasions has ratified that position in his public accompaniment of pro-democracy demonstrations in Cuba.
Michael Chong, the Shadow Cabinet Minister (critic) for Foreign Affairs in Parliament stated in an interview published by CBC Radio on July 24 that if the Conservative Party wins the election they would commit to impose Magnitsky sanctions on members of the Cuban regime responsible for serious human rights violations in Cuba. He has also expressed that position to me in several meetings we have had.
Tom Kmiec, MP for Calgary-Shepard sponsored petition E-3274 and in a video offered his solidarity as someone born in Poland during the commons era with the cause of freedom in Cuba.
PETITION E-3573
Petition in English, French and Spanish
1. Call on the Cuban regime to immediately and unconditionally release all those detained and imprisoned for the exercise of their freedom of expression and peaceful assembly;
2. Join Amnesty International and the United Nations and demand the release of José Daniel Ferrer, Luis Manuel Otero, Esteban Rodríguez, Maykel Castillo «Osorbo» and all prisoners of conscience in Cuba;
3. Use the Justice for Victims of Corrupt Foreign Officials Act to sanction high-ranking officials in Cuba responsible for perpetrating gross human rights violations, repression, abductions, arbitrary arrests, persecution, torture and beating of peaceful protesters and pro-democracy activists;
4. Urge the Cuban regime to submit to the will of the people through free, fair, and multi-party elections; and
5. Recognize all pro-democracy organizations in the island as valid and formal representatives of the Cuban people and engage in conversations with them as part of bilateral relations between Canada and Cuba.