Toronto symposium discusses political engagement for displaced Hong Kongers

The Toronto branch of the Hong Kong Alliance, in collaboration with Amnesty International Hong Kong, hosted a symposium titled “Displaced Hong Kongers: Connection, Challenges, and Participation” on November 7. The event featured Canadian Member of Parliament Teresa Kan and Hong Kong Labour Rights Monitor Director Mong Siu-tat to discuss how the diaspora can maintain political engagement and support civil society in Hong Kong.

Participants discussed the recent commitment by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) to increase humanitarian category quotas by up to 100,000, aiming to clear the backlog of “lifeboat” permanent residency applications by 2027. Attendees noted that obtaining permanent residency is a key step toward rooting themselves in Canadian political life.

The discussion also addressed concerns regarding transnational repression. Speakers urged the diaspora to report incidents to the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) and called for investigations into the effectiveness of Canada’s Foreign Agent Registry to ensure it adequately protects residents from foreign interference.