Washington DC [US], March 28 (ANI): The World Uyghur Congress has strongly criticised comments made by Canadian Liberal Member of Parliament Michael Ma, alleging that his remarks downplayed well-documented human rights violations in China, as cited in a WUC press release.

The controversy arose during a meeting of Canada's House of Commons Industry Committee on March 26, 2026, where discussions were underway regarding Prime Minister Mark Carney's recent agreement with China. The deal allows the import of 49,000 Chinese-manufactured electric vehicles into Canada at reduced tariff rates following Carney's visit to Beijing earlier this year. Michael Ma was part of the official delegation.

According to the WUC press release, concerns were raised during the session by Margaret McCuaig-Johnston, who pointed out that electric vehicles may rely on Chinese aluminium potentially linked to Uyghur forced labour. In response, Ma questioned her claims, asking whether she had personally witnessed such conditions or visited the region. His remarks reportedly triggered strong reactions from opposition Conservative MPs, who sought clarity on the government's stance regarding the Uyghur genocide.

Reacting to the development, WUC President Turgunjan Alawdun expressed concern, stating that it was troubling to see an elected official appear to dismiss credible evidence of human rights abuses, particularly in a country like Canada, where such issues have been widely acknowledged at multiple levels.

The press release further alleged that Ma's comments, along with attempts to challenge witness credibility, risk undermining the seriousness of reported abuses, including allegations of crimes against humanity and genocide. It also noted that Canada's Parliament had formally recognised the Uyghur genocide in February 2021, making such remarks particularly contentious.

Highlighting broader concerns, the WUC pointed to growing evidence documenting the expansion of state-imposed Uyghur forced labour across at least 17 industries, including the automotive sector. It cited findings by Human Rights Watch, which reported that a significant share of the world's aluminium production--used in vehicle manufacturing--originates from East Turkistan.

While Ma later issued an apology, clarifying that his comments referred to Shenzhen rather than Xinjiang, the WUC dismissed this distinction as misleading. The organisation argued that forced labour involving Uyghur workers is not limited to one region, noting that individuals have reportedly been transferred to factories across mainland China under coercive conditions.

The press release also referenced multiple international findings, including assessments by United Nations experts since 2019. It noted that in 2022, the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights concluded that the alleged abuses could amount to crimes against humanity. Additionally, the independent Uyghur Tribunal in December 2021 found evidence of torture, genocide, and crimes against humanity against Uyghurs.

Further, the International Labour Organisation has highlighted the scale of forced labour affecting Uyghurs and Tibetans in China, according to the WUC statement.

The issue also intersects with ongoing calls from Canadian lawmakers and rights groups urging the government to press Beijing for the release of Huseyin Celil, who has reportedly been imprisoned in China for nearly two decades.

Concluding its statement, the World Uyghur Congress urged Michael Ma to reaffirm his commitment to human rights and take a more informed and principled stance in addressing Uyghur forced labour within Canadian supply chains. (ANI)