In late 2022, various media outlets around the world reported on a suspected attempt by the People's Republic of China to infiltrate the Parliament of Canada by funding a network of candidates to run in the country’s 2019 federal election.[1][2][3][4][5]
Alleged plot
The 2019 alleged plot was made public in a November 2022 investigative report by Global News, citing sources with knowledge of the plot.[6]
Sources for the report said that a CCP proxy group mobilized around CA$250,000 to fund the infiltration network through a staffer for an election candidate and a member of Ontario’s Legislative Assembly who both acted as intermediaries.[7] Recipients of the donations included at least eleven candidates and members of their campaign staff. [8] The sources also said that the candidates were members of Canada’s two main political parties (the Liberal Party of Canada and Conservative Party of Canada) and that some of them were “witting affiliates of the Chinese Communist Party.”[9]
Details of the suspected infiltration plot were reportedly presented to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and members of his cabinet by the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) in January 2022.[10] CSIS reportedly did not conclude whether the suspected interference operation achieved its goals, but it did say that Canada was subject to more foreign interference attacks from China than from any other nation. [11]
Parties reportedly involved
The Chinese Consulate in Toronto
According to the Global News report, the consulate directed the transfer of the funds.[12] The report also said that a member in the consulate directed a staffer for an election candidate to interfere in their engagement activities. The interference efforts included preventing meetings with representatives of Taiwan.[13]
United Front Work Department
According to the Global News report, several candidates in the alleged infiltration network met with officials from China’s United Front Work Department. CSIS’s intelligence documents said the organization’s activities in Canada has facilitated interference operations by China’s Ministry of State Security and that its members in Canada has operated from Chinese consulates in Canada.
Reaction
When asked to comment on the disclosure of their intelligence reports to the press, CSIS said they had identified PRC foreign interference in Canada, which it defined to include election interference through covert foreign political financing.[14]
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said that although China has been “continuing to play aggressive games with our institutions, with our democracies”, his government has been undertaking measures to combat “foreign interference of our democracy and institutions.”[15]
See also
- 2019 Australian Parliament infiltration plot
- 1996 United States campaign finance controversy
- Christine Lee
- Legal dispute between former New Zealand Members of Parliament Simon Bridges and Jami-Lee Ross which stemmed from a donation to Bridges by Chinese businessman Yikun Zhang
References
- ^ Cooper, Sam. "Canadian intelligence warned PM Trudeau that China covertly funded 2019 election candidates: Sources". Global News.
- ^ "Trudeau accuses China of 'aggressive' election interference". BBC News.
- ^ "Trudeau: China playing 'aggressive games' with Canadian democracy". DW.
- ^ "China trying to gut Canada's democracy: PM". Taipei Times. The Guardian.
- ^ "China playing 'aggressive games' with Canada democracy: Trudeau". France 24.
- ^ Cooper, Sam. "Canadian intelligence warned PM Trudeau that China covertly funded 2019 election candidates: Sources". Global News.
- ^ Cooper, Sam. "Canadian intelligence warned PM Trudeau that China covertly funded 2019 election candidates: Sources". Global News.
- ^ Cooper, Sam. "Canadian intelligence warned PM Trudeau that China covertly funded 2019 election candidates: Sources". Global News.
- ^ Cooper, Sam. "Canadian intelligence warned PM Trudeau that China covertly funded 2019 election candidates: Sources". Global News.
- ^ Cooper, Sam. "Canadian intelligence warned PM Trudeau that China covertly funded 2019 election candidates: Sources". Global News.
- ^ Cooper, Sam. "Canadian intelligence warned PM Trudeau that China covertly funded 2019 election candidates: Sources". Global News.
- ^ Cooper, Sam. "Canadian intelligence warned PM Trudeau that China covertly funded 2019 election candidates: Sources". Global News.
- ^ Cooper, Sam. "Canadian intelligence warned PM Trudeau that China covertly funded 2019 election candidates: Sources". Global News.
- ^ Cooper, Sam. "Canadian intelligence warned PM Trudeau that China covertly funded 2019 election candidates: Sources". Global News.
- ^ D’Andrea, Aaron. "Canada facing 'aggressive games' from China, others amid interference report: Trudeau". Global News.