A group of Canadians who practice the Chinese spiritual movement Falun Gong are hoping to raise awareness of the tragedies facing their people in China. Four practitioners stopped by Portage la Prairie City Hall this morning, where they aimed to raise awareness over the imprisonment, and nonconsensual organ harvesting of the Falun Gong by the Chinese Government. A recent report shows about 1.5 million Falun Gong practitioners have been killed for organs since the persecution against the people began in 1999.

The group touring the country is hoping to raise awareness of the issue, in an effort to have Canada stand up and support the call for the end of the persecution of the Falun Gong. Paula Liu is one of those making her way across Canada and says many are shocked to hear of the large-scale atrocity, facing those in the Chinese government's 'Re-education through labour camps.

"I think they're shocked to hear this fact. Not a lot of people know about this. Those who do know about this have supported us and signed our petition already. For this issue here, China has been covering up most of their crimes, and people aren't really aware of this."

The Falun Gong have been facing persecution by China's Government for almost two decades, as the country's government views the practitioners as a cult with an anti-China agenda. The group touring the country wants not only the Canadian government to take this issue into consideration, but also Canadian citizens to be aware of where the organs transplanted in China could be coming from.

The groups is also joined by Jason Liu, who's lived in Canada since 2014. He was a practicing Falun Gong along with his family since 1996, three years before the government's persecution of the spiritual movement's followers began. In 2000 he was arrested for his beliefs, and sentenced to one year in the Chinese labour camp forcing him to leave his 2-year-old son for the time.

"When I was in Labour Camp, I knew three practitioners who were beaten to death. The persecution of the Falun Gong is terrible."

While was released in 2001, the danger for Liu wasn't over. In 2014 he discovered he was once again in danger of being arrested for his beliefs, but was hesitant to leave the country as he was caring for his elderly father. Liu spoke to his father about the issue, and his father told him he must leave the country for his own safety. While he's been safe from persecution in Canada since 2014, he knows the situation hasn't changed in China.

"I think I was lucky because I'm safe now. Many practitioners are in danger in China now. They could be put into the jail, or even have their organs taken for money. I tour Canada and we want to have more people knowing the truth, and pushing their MPs and the Canadian government to tell China's government to stop the persecution."