Key Dates

2007

October 30 – His Holiness the Dalai Lama requests of the Prime Minister of Canada that Canada accept displaced Tibetans living in India

2009

May to September – Canada Tibet Committee forms a working group with the Office of Tibet in New York, the Tibetan Cultural Society of British Columbia, the Tibetan Association of Alberta,  the Canadian Tibetan Association of Ontario, the Tibetan Cultural Association of Quebec and two immigration specialists to prepare a formal proposal for the Government of Canada.

September 16 – Canada Tibet Committee with the Office of Tibet in New York, the Tibetan Association of Alberta, and the Canadian Tibetan Association of Ontario submit the plan to the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration Jason Kenney.

2010

18 December – Government of Canada announces program

2011

January – Canadian High Commission staff visit Arunachal Pradesh

19 February – Canada Tibet Committee holds first orientation meeting at the offices of CTAO (Canadian Tibetan Association of Ontario)

13 March – First Vancouver orientation meeting with the Tibetan Cultural Society of British Columbia and Tibet supporters

17 March – Jason Kenney, Minister of Citizenship & Immigration signs public policy enabling program

17 March – Project Tibet Society reaches an agreement in principle to enter into a Memorandum of Understanding with the Department of Citizenship and Immigration.

21 March – Project Tibet Society receives Letters Patent (Incorporation) to administer the program

18 May to 5 June – CTC board member Nima Dorjee and executive director Dermod Travis travel to Arunachal Pradesh and Dharamsala, India for preparations leading to selection logistics following the January visit of Canadian High Commission staff.

31 May – North American Chitues Dicki Chhoyang & Norbu Tsering are briefed in Dharamsala on the program’s status

June – Project Tibet Society holds a series of meetings with the in-coming Kalon Tripa Lobsang Sangay and the Central Tibetan Administration for the CTA to oversee the preliminary stages of the application process in compliance with Canada’s Public Policy after which the CTA submits a draft MOU for the consideration of  Project Tibet Society. Project Tibet Society redrafts this  MOU to ensure its compliance with Canadian laws and policies for the consideration of the CTA.

9 June – Project Tibet Society signs MOU with the Government of Canada

23 June – Information bulletin on program’s status is sent to all TCAs

29 June – CTC Victoria hosts first orientation meeting with Tibet supporters and the Tibetan Cultural Society of Vancouver Island

22 September – Applications for permanent residency and Groups of Five under the program are posted to the CIC website with links at www.tibet.ca

10 October – Canada Tibet Committee creates section devoted to the project at  www.tibet.ca/projecttibetsociety

December – The Central Tibetan Administration signs the MOU with Project Tibet Society to over see the the preliminary stages of the application process. This is the same MOU submitted  by PTS to the CTA in June.

2012

June – The CTA seeks expressions of interest from displaced Tibetans living in Arrunachal  Pradesh to immigrate to Canada

August – PTS creates www.projecttibetsociety.ca website