He is still allowed to sit in the House of Commons and eventually collect a taxpayer-funded pension:
A Chinese-Canadian lawmaker, cited in unconfirmed media reports as having ties to the Beijing government, forcefully denied those allegations but announced his resignation as a member of the Liberal Party led by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
Trudeau last month denied a media report the party had been warned by the country's spy agency to drop Han Dong, a Toronto-area member of parliament, as a Liberal candidate ahead of the 2019 election because he had Beijing's support.
On Wednesday a new story by Global News, a Canadian broadcaster, reported Han had advised a senior Chinese diplomat in February 2021 that Beijing should hold off freeing two Canadians held there under espionage charges.
(Sidebar: please see here.)
Liberal MP Han Dong, who is at the centre of Chinese influence allegations, privately advised a senior Chinese diplomat in February 2021 that Beijing should hold off freeing Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor, according to two separate national security sources.
Both sources said Dong allegedly suggested to Han Tao, China’s consul general in Toronto, that if Beijing released the “Two Michaels,” whom China accused of espionage, the Opposition Conservatives would benefit.
At the time, the two Canadians had been in Chinese custody for over two years. However, it was widely perceived that they were jailed in retribution for Canada’s detention of Meng Wanzhou, the Huawei executive facing extradition to the United States.
Dong also allegedly recommended that Beijing show some progress in the Kovrig and Spavor cases, the two sources said. Such a move would help the ruling Liberal Party, which was facing an uproar over China’s inhumane treatment of Kovrig and Spavor.
Dong, who represents the Toronto-area riding of Don Valley North, was the one to initiate the discussion with the consul general, the two sources said, adding that Dong stipulated at the outset that it was both a personal and a work-related conversation.
The Liberals, of course, gave Han a standing ovation for his waterworks:
Han Dong got a standing ovation in the HOC for his resignation speech. How absolutely insane is that? He is accused of a keeping two Canadians locked up for a longer duration & he gets a standing ovation? Absolutely absurd. pic.twitter.com/UOSRVZjsbN
— Ryan Gerritsen🇨🇦🇳🇱 (@ryangerritsen) March 23, 2023
Han Dong will be thrown under the proverbial bus for Justin, who, as one might remember, declared his undying love for China in 2013:
The resignation of MP Han Dong from the Liberal caucus has put more pressure on the Liberals to call a public inquiry on election interference. We asked Prime Minister Justin Trudeau whether he was made aware of interference during the most recent election. #cdnpoli pic.twitter.com/Z469H7LwdX
— CTV Your Morning (@YourMorning) March 23, 2023
As much as CTV will throw Justin some softball questions, this isn't going away.
No comments:
Post a Comment