Canada and China: The Falun Dafa Association of Canada (FDAC); requirements for membership in the FDAC; whether there are genuine Falun Dafa practitioners who are not members of the FDAC; the process undertaken by the FDAC when someone requests a letter vouching for them as a genuine Falun Gong practitioner (2014-September 2016)

Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Ottawa

1. Falun Dafa Association of Canada

In correspondence with the Research Directorate, a representative of the Falun Dafa Association of Canada (FDAC) stated that the mandate of the FDAC is to:

1.Create a good cultivation environment for practitioners to make further advances in following the principles of Falun Dafa, Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance.

2.Work towards ending the illegal persecution of Falun Gong in China, and raise awareness. (FDAC 16 Sept. 2016)

For further information on Falun Gong/Dafa and the treatment of its practitioners by authorities in China, see Response to Information Request CHN105282 of October 2015.

In subsequent correspondence, the representative added that Falun Dafa Associations (FDAs) present in various Canadian cities continue to fall under the FDAC (ibid. 19 Sept. 2016). He also said that the FDAC continues to represent the Falun Gong community at the national level, while the FDAs represent the Falun Gong community on local matters, such as supporting local refugee issues (ibid.).

According to the representative,

[t]here is only one FDAC that represents the Falun Gong community [nationally]. No other group exists. No other group speaks on behalf of Falun Gong practitioners or can verify or vouch for practitioners. However, members can join any community or personal group they may choose. (ibid. 16 Sept. 2016)

2. Membership in the FDAC

The representative stated that Falun Gong practitioners in Canada are generally members of the FDAC, although membership lists are not kept by the association (FDAC 16 Sept. 2016). The same source explained that members "must be genuine practitioners who follow the requirements of Falun Gong. They cultivate their minds according to the standards of Falun Gong and they participate in our activities to help raise awareness of persecution" (ibid.).

According to the representative, there is no "hierarchy of levels" within the organization, noting that "veteran practitioners are simply practitioners who have followed the requirements of Falun Gong to cultivate according to the standards of Falun Gong and they participate in our activities to help raise awareness of the persecution for a longer period of time" (ibid.).

Information on procedures for becoming a member of the FDAC could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within time constraints of this Response.

2.1 Executive Members

The representative explained that

[t]he executive members of the FDAC have practiced Falun Gong in the community for up to 20 years, most started practicing before the persecution of Falun Gong that started in China in 1999. They have continued to follow the principles of Falun Gong and have helped with FDAC mandates. (FDAC 16 Sept. 2016)

The same source added that

[t]he roles and responsibilities [of the executive members] are to help with FDAC mandates, meaning to help to create a good cultivation environment for practitioners so they can make further advances in following the principles of Falun Dafa, and to help practitioners work towards ending the illegal persecution of Falun Gong in China by raising awareness, which is one of the Falun Gong tenets, through motivating practitioners and overseeing projects created to raise awareness. (ibid. 19 Sept. 2016)

3. Letters of Support for Falun Gong Practitioners

According to the representative,

[w]hen we write a letter vouching for a practitioner, we speak to the facts. If we can verify through our worldwide network that a reliable practitioner knows the person in question to have practiced Falun Gong back in China or in another country, or if we can find information about them on the Minghui Website (the main communication website for Falun Gong practitioners worldwide), or verify through the editors of the Minghui [website], then we speak to the facts and write a letter vouching for them. Also, if we cannot verify their past experiences or relationships through our network but they approach us and exhibit a good understanding of cultivation and the principles of Falun Gong from the time they arrive up until the time they ask us to vouch for them then we will speak to this fact in a letter.

There are practitioners who after coming out of China, for various reasons do not contact the local groups here, and there have also been practitioners who have not approached the Falun Dafa Association for their refugee application. We only speak to the facts for those who ask us. If they do not ask, we do not get involved. (FDAC 16 Sept. 2016)

The same source further stated that

[i]f we cannot verify through our network, or through Minghui, that a person has cultivated Falun Gong in the past or if they do not exhibit an understanding of cultivation and the principles of Falun Gong during our initial meeting, then the FDAC will not vouch for them. The FDAC is very strict that we only speak to the facts for people whom we feel are true practitioners. (ibid.)

The representative added that, as of September 2016, FDAC representatives who are responsible for signing letters of support are Xun Li and Grace Wollensak (Ottawa), Chengzhi (Charlie) Jin (Montreal), Joel Chipkar (Toronto), Jeffrey Yang (Calgary), Shar Chen (Edmonton), and Sue Zhang (Vancouver) (ibid. 19 Sept. 2016).

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim for refugee protection. Please find below the list of sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

References

Falun Dafa Association of Canada (FDAC). 19 September 2016. Correspondence from a representative to the Research Directorate.

Falun Dafa Association of Canada (FDAC). 16 September 2016. Correspondence from a representative to the Research Directorate.

Additional Sources Consulted

Oral sources: Another representative of the Falun Dafa Association of Canada.

Internet sites, including: Canadian Journal of Human Rights; CBC; ecoi.net; The Epoch Times; Factiva; FalunDafa.ca; FalunDafa.org; The Huffington Post; Minghui.org; National Post; Tuidang; UN - Refworld; World Organization to Investigate the Persecution of Falun Gong.