The Chinese embassy in Ottawa in a file photo. (The Epoch Times)
Although warnings about China’s influence operations in Canada have been raised for decades, they have been largely dismissed by those in power. The public inquiry into foreign interference set to begin on Jan. 29 represents a rare move by the federal government to take a systematic, in-depth look at the problem—though some say it may not be enough.
Two Canadian politicians allegedly connected to the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) influence activities according to leaked CSIS documents and sources cited by media have full standing in the inquiry.
Mr. Chiu and others have expressed concerns about the two politicians’ standing, which according to the decision gives them “full participation rights, including the right to access certain non-public documents and to question witnesses.”
“[They] could have been closely linked to a foreign regime that’s set to infiltrate and interfere with Canada. Their access to classified information—the source, the methods of how intelligence is collected, for example—could actually jeopardize our country’s intelligence collection going further in the future,” Mr. Chiu said.
The second set of hearings, scheduled for March, is where the commission will really get into the investigation.
The scope of the inquiry includes a look at all potential interference in the 2019 and 2021 federal elections, including from China, Russia, and other foreign actors. The commission will also look at the flow of information between intelligence officials, elections officials, and senior decision-makers in the government.
Among those set to testify in the first round of hearings is former Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) director Richard Fadden. He raised the alarm on foreign interference in 2010 and was effectively shut down.
Past Attempts to Address Interference
In 2010, when he was head of CSIS, Mr. Fadden alleged that some municipal politicians and two provincial cabinet ministers were under the influence of a foreign government. He was condemned by a House of Commons national security committee and some MPs called for his resignation.
Two-thirds of Canadians believe the Chinese regime sought to interfere with elections, according to an Angus Reid poll released March 1, 2023. Another poll released several days later said 40 percent of Canadians see the CCP as a threat and 22 percent see it as an enemy.
On May 31, MPs passed a motion calling on Mr. Johnston to step down, and he resigned on June 9. The major parties negotiated terms for a foreign interference inquiry, and agreed on the terms on July 7.
And Finally an Inquiry
The allegations around election interference are many and complex. We’ll take a quick look at a couple of the main allegations and actors in the upcoming inquiry.
Mr. Chan has denied the allegations and launched a lawsuit over the Globe’s reporting.
The Epoch Times has reached out to Mr. Dong and Mr. Chan for comment but has not received a reply.
On the other side of the issue, Conservative MP Michael Chong and NDP MP Jenny Kwan have full standing in the inquiry as alleged targets of CCP intimidation. Both have been critical of the regime.
A common CCP tactic to silence dissidents abroad is to threaten their families back in China. Human rights groups critical of Beijing raised concerns that giving Mr. Dong and Mr. Chan full standing will give them access to witness testimony—and if they do have ties to the CCP as alleged, that could put witnesses in a difficult situation.
Others with full standing include several human rights organizations focused on China issues grouped together as a “Human Rights Coalition,” as well as the Russian Canadian Democratic Alliance, the Ukrainian Canadian Congress, the federal elections office, and the Government of Canada.
The federal Conservatives have criticized the inclusion of the government, as it essentially means the Liberals have full standing. That means the Conservatives will only be privy to information that is made public, whereas the Liberals will have access to confidential information. Justice Hogue has defended her decision, saying the government must have standing and it’s not about favouring a political party.
The Conservative Party, along with the NDP and several other groups and individuals, will have intervener standing in the first phase of the inquiry. That phase will focus on gathering facts about interference. The commission is scheduled to release its report on the findings from that phase by May 4.
The second phase is scheduled to commence in the fall, and that will look at policy and how the government can counter interference. The final report on the inquiry is expected by the end of the year.