Mr. David Matas:

A number of things could be done. A revolution would be helpful, as would calling for an independent investigation through the United Nations, as has been done in many petitions. Asking the Americans to release what Wang Lijun told them when he was at the Chengdu Institute would be helpful. I mention also extraterritorial legislation, drug exports, the Confucius Institute and emigration controls. There are a number of ways to approach the problem. What is important is not necessarily choosing one over another but choosing something to show one is aware of the problem and trying to come to grips with it, even if it is just to take the matter to the European Union to try to get it, as a group, to deal with it. I think Brussels is looking for some leadership on the periphery before it gets started on it.

I have appeared before the Scottish and UK Parliaments. The United Kingdom is looking to Ireland and Scotland. Members may say Ireland is a small country and ask what it can do. From the other perspective, the larger countries consider a smaller country has more freedom of action and is less likely to suffer repercussions. Ireland may seem small in relation to China, but China has the same attitude to Ireland and, therefore, it is not that concerned about what Ireland does. We can give the committee a list of things to do, but it does not have to work through everything on the list. However, it should do something.