Conservative MP Michael Chong is criticizing the government’s decision to not warn him or expel a Chinese diplomat who allegedly wanted to target his family overseas, after a new report based on leaked national security information revealed additional information on Beijing interference schemes in Canada.
“I am profoundly disappointed to find out through a Globe and Mail report that the Trudeau government knew two years ago a PRC diplomat, working out of the consulate in Toronto, was targeting my family in Hong Kong,” wrote Chong in a May 1 statement.
“The government did not inform me that a diplomat was targeting my family, nor did the government take any action to expel the diplomat responsible for orchestrating this intimidation campaign.”
The Globe published an article on May 1 reportedly drawn from a top secret Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) intelligence assessment on interference by the Chinese regime.
“Threat actors almost certainly perceive their activities in Canada to be low-risk and high reward,” the July 2021 assessment reportedly says.
The document, which The Epoch Times has not reviewed, calls Beijing the “foremost perpetrator” of foreign interference in Canada, which is seen as a “high priority target” by the Communist regime.
The assessment also provides specific examples of tactics used by the regime. It says that one of the People’s Republic of China’s spy service, the Ministry of State Security (MSS), had “taken specific actions to target Canadian MPs” who were behind a 2021 House of Commons motion which called Beijing’s treatment of the Uyghur minority a genocide.
The MSS reportedly sought information on the relatives of a Canadian MP “who may be located in the PRC, for further potential sanctions.” CSIS assessed that this was “certainly meant to make an example of this MP and deter others from taking anti-PRC positions.”
The Globe says that a national security source identified the MP as Michael Chong, adding that Zhao Wei, a Chinese diplomat in Canada, was working on the issue.
A “Zhao Wei” is currently listed by Global Affairs Canada (GAC) as a consular officer working out of the Chinese consulate in Toronto.
MP Chong highlighted this in his statement and says it’s “obvious and dumbfounding that the government continues to turn a blind eye to the threat of foreign interference.”
The Epoch Times reached out to GAC for comment but didn’t immediately hear back.
The CSIS assessment also mentions other tactics such as the targeting of political staffers. It says one staffer working for a Member of the Legislative Assembly was fired for passing information to a “person of high interest” to CSIS “who is closely associated with the PRC Mission in Canada.”
It also speaks of the targeting of dissidents by Chinese regime organizations such as the United Front Work Department and the MSS. Beijing reportedly considers supporters of Taiwan, Tibet, Uyghurs, Falun Gong, and Hong Kong’s democracy movement to be a “critical threat”.
“What happened should be a wake-up call for the whole of government. An authoritarian state targeted the family of an elected MP to try to change the course of a domestic debate about our country’s foreign policy, and the government knew this and did nothing,” said Chong.
Leaks such as those reported by the Globe have put pressure on the Liberal government to act. Opposition parties have called for a public inquiry, but Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has instead appointed a special rapporteur on foreign interference.
Rapporteur David Johnston, a former governor general, will provide his recommendations in the coming weeks, which could include calling for a public inquiry.
The Liberal government says it has taken the issue of foreign interference seriously, establishing mechanisms to protect the integrity of elections. After the revelations in the media, it has also announced beginning consultations on establishing a foreign registry and establishing a special office within Public Safety Canada.