Wind turbines at East Point, Prince Edward Island, in a file photo. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
The RCMP says it will review allegations of Chinese interference and Beijing-linked money laundering in Prince Edward Island “in light of new information and allegations.”
The update comes shortly after P.E.I. Premier Rob Lantz sent a letter on Oct. 16 to RCMP Commissioner Michael Duheme asking for the police force to investigate evidence of foreign interference operations in the province.
Lantz also sent a letter to Sarah Paquet, CEO of the Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada (FINTRAC), asking the agency to investigate allegations of money laundering by foreign actors in P.E.I.
The P.E.I. government made the request after Garry Clement, former national director of the RCMP’s proceeds of crime program, described an investigation he conducted alongside Michel Juneau-Katsuya, former head of the Asia-Pacific unit at the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS), of Beijing’s interference activities in the province during a press conference in Ottawa on Oct. 8.
Clement and Juneau-Katsuya documented their findings in a recently released book, “Canada Under Siege: How Prince Edward Island Became a Forward Operating Base for the Chinese Communist Party.”
The book says the province’s immigration nominee program has been exploited by wealthy applicants with links to Beijing, and that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is buying up land in the province through Beijing-linked organizations. The book also outlines instances of elite capture by Beijing. The term is used to refer to China’s strategy of courting influential figures from other nations to help advance its interests.
Clement said that the investigation also found millions of dollars in cash entering P.E.I. via brand-new, consecutively numbered $100 bills, something he said was evidence of potential money laundering linked to the CCP.
Lantz noted that the province’s Island Regulatory and Appeals Commission was conducting an investigation into land ownership related to some of the entities identified by Clement and Juneau-Katsuya. That investigation was launched in February, and Lantz said that any findings related to criminal or national security issues would be provided to federal authorities.
The premier said Clement’s statements at the news conference on this issue caused concerns among P.E.I. residents and have renewed attention on this subject in the province. He added that the residents of the province “deserve clarity,” saying the allegations outlined in the book “strike at the heart of our democratic values.”
RCMP said in a statement that the Mounties have investigated allegations of money laundering and foreign interference previously, and were aware of the allegations.
The police force said the previous investigations did not provide evidence for the claims, and “all investigations were concluded as unfounded.”
The Epoch Times attempted to reach FINTRAC for comment but did not immediately hear back.
FINTRAC
Lantz has asked FINTRAC to work with law enforcement and regulators to determine if there have been any financial crimes connected to foreign actors in the province.
In his letter to Paquet, Lantz said the allegations have created “unease” among residents, and that without “clear answers,” speculation has emerged. He added that a review by a credible agency would reassure residents that oversight measures were working.
FINTRAC spokesperson Lori Blair previously told The Epoch Times that the agency was “committed to fulfilling its mandate” to combat money laundering, terrorist financing, sanctions evasion, and threats to the security of Canada, including P.E.I.
Blair said she was not able to speak about information the agency may have received or financial intelligence it may have given to federal agencies due to the Proceeds of Crime and Terrorist Financing Act.
She added that of the 6,236 financial intelligence disclosure packages FINTRAC provided to authorities between 2024 and 2025, “a number” were provided to law enforcement working within P.E.I.
Carolina Avendano and The Canadian Press contributed to this report.
Chandra Philip is a news reporter with the Canadian edition of The Epoch Times.