Government of Canada’s National Microbiology Laboratory in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Photo credit: Metro/Winnipeg Architecture Foundation
There are multiple ways the country’s independence has been potentially compromised by Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) undue influence. Below is part two in a pair of articles counting down ten critical issues, which taken together establish a case for why Canadians must demand a thorough investigation of the relationship between the Trudeau government and the CCP. Click here for part one.
5 – CCP police and agents in Canada
Repeated news reports and testimony before MPs in the past three months have underlined a disturbing truth that CCP agents are active in Canada, a threatening presence for Chinese Canadians. At a parliamentary committee, the co-chair of Toronto Association for Democracy in China, Cheuk Kwan, testified that the CCP has been proactive in Canada since the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre. Kwan states, “They also harass and intimidate Canadians who are critical of China, activists, dissidents and human rights defenders, rendering the Chinese Canadian community the real victims of this game.”
In Canada there are seven known CCP police stations located within the country – three in the GTA. There are 176 Chinese nationals with diplomatic credentials, a majority of whom are involved in espionage, according to Michel Juneau-Katsuya, the former CSIS Asia-Pacific chief. The network of police and diplomats carry out activities that include surveillance, suppressing rights activists, and persecuting groups like Falun Gong and Uyghur Muslims. It is part of the CCP’s covert United Front Work Department’s global program that in 2023 has a budget of US$30.5 billion.
It is important for Canadian authorities to expose the extent and work of the CCP networks in Canada. Henry Chan, a spokesman for a multiethnic coalition of 33 organizations concerned with foreign interference in Canada, frankly states, “There is so much at stake: our democracy, sovereignty, and trust in our institutions.”
4 – The Trudeau Foundation
Much has been exposed relating to the Trudeau Foundation’s questionable donations from Beijing. Prior to 2015, the CCP funneled foreign donations into the Foundation to influence then-Liberal leader and soon-to-be PM Justin Trudeau. Money was also shoveled into Trudeau’s riding association for Montreal Liberals’ election campaigns. The promise of a million dollars, a Pierre Trudeau statue, and a series of “business” dinners were part of a CCP strategy to stroke the ego of Justin.
Canadians have recently learned that the Trudeau Foundation has invested in Chinese companies that Canada has flagged as security risks. We also know that the Foundation accepted $140,000 from a Beijing-based donor. We also know that in 2016, cabinet ministers met with the Foundation’s Chinese donors – and the PM himself attended a cash-for-access event with CCP-associated businessmen.
In light of the Foundation’s “stinkbomb” dealings being made public, its Board imploded, and the Chair and Board members resigned. As he is prone to do when confronted, PM Trudeau lashed out and blamed “those people” with “ungrounded attacks” for discrediting the Foundation. And still MPs had unanswered questions about the charity tax records and its filings, and who knew what when about the nefarious donations. All legitimate questions that cannot be deflected by Justin Trudeau’s overused rabbit punches.
3 – Election fraud and interference
Today, it is an accepted fact that in the 2019 and 2021 elections CCP agents in Canada worked to undermine the Canadian election process and support the Trudeau Liberals. Still, questions remain whether the Liberal Party has been a knowing party and/or willing partner in the CCP’s fraudulent activities.
Sam Cooper’s initial Global News report revealed that a 2017 memo was prepared by national security experts that warned PM Trudeau of Beijing’s election interference strategy. In a parliamentary committee this week Cooper testified on his series of news stories exposing the CCP election interference plot. He stated, “…did Beijing fund candidates—it’s my understanding they funded a network, which is directed to support Beijing’s preferred candidates.”
A recent report published by the Alliance Canada Hong Kong concludes the CCP network’s reach is extensive: “The fundamental goal is to advance Beijing’s agenda by either supporting candidates deemed favorable or sabotaging candidates perceived as a threat… Foreign interference in an election can happen at any time: throughout a nomination race, during the writ period, a one-off event supporting or demonizing a candidate, or through continuous and organized interventions.”
With something as significant as the integrity of Canada’s democratic process, one must wonder why the Trudeau Liberals have been so adamant in the narrative, “There’s nothing to see here. Move along…”
2 – CCP–Liberal business interests
The tangled web of CCP—Liberal business interests is thick. It starts with the Power Corp’s major investments in China – and the Desmarais family’s too-many-to-mention ties with the Trudeaus (Sr. & Jr.), Chretien, Martin, and Rae. In Toronto, there is a similar network plotting out Liberal political fortunes, involving Wei Chengyi, Weng Guoning, Paul Chiang, Han Dong, former Liberal minister and Chinese Ambassador John McCallum, and current small business minister Mary Ng. Add to this former Chinese Ambassador (and McKinsey global managing partner) Dominic Barton and his wife, who happens to be the Asian Pacific Chairman for Blackrock’s investments.
Seriously, there are too many potential conflicts here. Canadians should be provided a program with the interplay between the extensive business interests and political players.
1 – The mysteries at the Winnipeg Lab
Perhaps the greatest reason a full-blown review of the Trudeau Liberals-CCP relation is required involves the mysteries of the Winnipeg Lab, the country’s highest-security infectious-disease laboratory. In 2019 the Winnipeg Lab and Wuhan Lab in China were conducting joint virus research work. It has been reported that the scientists were conducting experiments on deadly pathogens. Then two scientists were unceremoniously escorted out, and later fired from the Winnipeg Lab (and now their whereabouts unknown).
Since the outbreak of COVID, the Trudeau government has been stonewalling every effort to get answers to the burning questions about the joint virus research and the missing fired scientists. The Liberals have been held in contempt of Parliament and PM Trudeau prorogued the House and called an election to avoid having to provide evidence on this matter.
Perhaps Canadians will never know what happened in Winnipeg. They may also never know why Canada shipped PPE to China in late 2019 – leaving our country’s medical community without PPE in early 2020. Why the PM refused to ban flights from China or entertain thoughts that the virus was leaked from the Wuhan lab at the outbreak of the pandemic. Why the PM heralded the ample supply of a Canada-China COVID vaccine, only to be embarrassed a few months later when China reneged on its agreement.
Most frustrating is the fact that newsmen like Sam Cooper, Steven Chase and Robert Fife of the Globe and Mail, Terry Glavin, and uncompromised news outlets such as Blacklock’s Reporter and The Epoch Times have all been diligent in reporting the truth of the matter for years. The international community is aware; the country’s traditional allies now look suspiciously at the Trudeau government for its relations with the CCP. Remarkably, Canadians appear to be sleepwalking. It should be required reading for Canadians to delve deeper into these ten issues and read the aforementioned news sources.
The last word goes to former Canadian ambassador to China David Mulroney, who recently warned a parliamentary committee, “The (CCP) party’s objective is to transform Canada into a compliant country that perpetually looks over its shoulder to be sure what it says and does meets Beijing’s approval. Beijing’s objective is a degree of influence — in our democracy, our economy, our foreign policy and even in daily life in some of our communities — beyond the ambitions of any other country.”
So, what will it take to begin asking the serious questions about the CCP and its influence in Canada?
Chris George is an advocate, government relations advisor, and writer/copy editor. As president of a public relations firm established in 1994, Chris provides discreet counsel, tactical advice and management skills to CEOs/Presidents, Boards of Directors and senior executive teams in executing public and government relations campaigns and managing issues. Prior to this PR/GR career, Chris spent seven years on Parliament Hill on staffs of Cabinet Ministers and MPs. He has served in senior campaign positions for electoral and advocacy campaigns at every level of government. Today, Chris resides in Almonte, Ontario where he and his wife manage www.cgacommunications.com. Contact Chris at chrisg.george@gmail.com.
