Actor Richard Gere, right, kisses the hand of Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama at an event celebrating the Dalai Lama's 90th birthday in Dharamshala, India, Sunday, July 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Ashwini Bhatia)

By The Canadian Press

Hollywood star Richard Gere brings Tibet advocacy to Parliament Hill

Nov 17, 2025 | 1:53 PM

OTTAWA — Hollywood actor Richard Gere said Monday Canada shouldn’t pivot to a stronger relationship with China in response to its strained relationship with the United States.

Gere, who was on Parliament Hill for what is known as Tibet lobby day — an annual event that advocates for the rights and freedoms of Tibetans — said there is “no reason why everybody should not be talking.”

But he said people should be skeptical of the “arrangements” the Chinese government is willing to make, given its history.

Gere, whose philanthropic work includes advocating for human rights in Tibet and supporting the Tibetan independence movement, was asked about Prime Minister Mark Carney’s efforts to unlock Canada’s relationship with China after years of strained relations.

Carney met recently with Chinese President Xi Jinping in South Korea and has accepted an invitation to visit China in the new year.

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Canada recognizes Tibet as a region within China with a distinct cultural identity and its policy toward Tibet acknowledges deep concerns about human rights issues in the region.

“I’m more worried about the U.S.-Canadian relationship,” Gere said, adding the relationship is “a bit strained right now.”

“This administration is not going to be there forever, so I think to make corrections in a relationship with China as a correction to the relationship with the U.S., I think, is problematic,” he added.

Liberal MP James Maloney, whose Ontario constituency is home to the Tibetan Canadian Cultural Centre, welcomed Gere in a statement before question period on Monday.

He noted that Canada welcomed the first Tibetan refugees in 1970, at the request of the Dalai Lama.

“The impact of His Holiness is far-reaching and his message of peace, non-violence, the pursuit of harmony and happiness is making the world a better place,” Maloney said.

The Dalai Lama, who turned 90 this year, is the spiritual leader of Tibet and the head of Tibetan Buddhism. He was forced into exile in 1959 after an uprising against Chinese troops ended in hundreds of deaths. He is an honorary Canadian citizen.

Maloney said Gere is “a true champion for the campaign for Tibet.”

Most MPs gave Gere a standing ovation.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 17, 2025.

The Canadian Press