TORONTO—On Friday night at Toronto's Sony Center for the Performing Arts, David Kilgour, former MP and Secretary of State for Asia Pacific, attended the Chinese New Year Spectacular for the second time this year.
Having previously seen the Spectacular just last week in Ottawa, Kilgour decided it was worth seeing again.
"Well the one in Ottawa this year was absolutely spectacular," said Kilgour. "I didn't think they could improve from last year's show but a lot of things were improved. The dancing, the number of dances and even the number of [artists were improved on] this year.
"The music is marvelous, the singers are superb. I just think the show is fabulous and the spiritual aspect of it is really important and that comes through time and time again."
Speaking of the courage with which Falun Gong practitioners face the Chinese government's persecution, a spirit which is beautifully displayed in the show, Kilgour saw parallels with persecutions of centuries past.
"I'm actually a Christian and you know… Christianity was persecuted much the same way Falun Gong has been persecuted in China. When the Roman Empire fell and Rome became Christian… well, the parallels are very, very similar."
Falun Gong is a meditation practice and spiritual discipline that became the target of brutal persecution by the Chinese communist regime in 1999.
Kilgour also stated his belief that the ancient Chinese traditions, destroyed by decades of communist policies and currently being revived by the Spectacular, will inevitably reappear in China.
"Dignity, respect history, respecting authenticity… as a Chinese farmer once put it 'Karl Marx doesn't sound like a Chinese name to me.'"
For now though, even an event such as the Spectacular, which promotes traditional Chinese culture, has faced interference from the Chinese government in many cities.
Last year, the Chinese embassy in Ottawa went so far as to issue a statement saying it disapproved of "the participation in the 'New Year Spectacular' by the officials of any country in any form."
As well, the embassy and consulate made many efforts to urge Canadian officials and the general public not to attend the show.
Kilgour said that this behaviour by the Chinese regime was "outrageous" and that he felt it was a part of a larger problem of the regime inciting hatred against what it considers dissident groups — groups such as Falun Gong.
"The basic rights of freedom of expression and freedom of religion and freedom of spirituality and all kinds of things we're seeing suppressed in China," he said.
After Toronto, the Spectacular will continue on to play venues in the U.S., Japan, Korea, Paris, Singapore and Australia, before returning Canada in the spring to play in Vancouver, Calgary and Edmonton.
