Canadian's role toward Burma's democratic movement

Divestment must include all Canadian business interests in Burma

OTTAWA – NDP Foreign Affairs Critic Paul Dewar (Ottawa Centre), criticized the Conservatives for taking half-measures against the junta regime in Burma, also known as Myanmar. “Half-measures against a dictatorship amount to half-compliance with the dictatorship” said Dewar.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Maxime Bernier announced a series of sanctions and a ban of new investments in Burma today. The measures do not cover current Canadian investments.

“What we need are concrete measures that divest all Canadian investment in Burma – not just a ban on new investments. It’s the only way to send a clear message to the junta that they must immediately relinquish power and hand it over to the Burmese democrats,” said Dewar, who held a press conference to call for tough financial action against the military junta last week.

Tin Maung Htoo, the Executive Director of Canadian Friends of Burma, was with Dewar last week and said, “Fourteen Canadian companies are listed as being active in Burma. However, many more Canadian companies and public pension funds have indirect investments in Burma through third parties – for instance the Canadian Power Corporation mines a gas deposit in Burma and pays hundreds of millions of dollars in royalties to the ruling military junta through the French oil company Total. The investment ban should cover all indirect investment as well.”

“While I welcome the steps taken in the right direction, this is not enough – the NDP would have cut the financial support the junta receives from investments currently held by Canadian corporations and public pension funds in Burma,” declared Dewar.

Dewar has tabled a motion in the House of Commons that called on the Canadian government to invoke the Special Economic Measures Act, divest all Canadian investments in Burma and ban ships flying Burma’s flag from calling on Canadian ports. “It is not only those who do direct business with Burma, but all companies with ties to Canadian corporations, public pension funds and individuals with investments in Burma who must divest,” said Dewar.

Tin Maung Htoo and Dewar have also called on the government to strengthen the Burmese democratic movement by hosting a gathering of the movement in Ottawa and providing it with material and intellectual support in its efforts toward democratizing Burma.

“Knowing what we know about the junta, business as usual in unconscionable,” concluded Dewar.