We Don't Have to Trade With China

We certainly don't have to let it control the political future of this country:

Canada’s elections watchdog waited years to investigate allegations that a 2021 Liberal candidate benefitted from undisclosed donations from individuals with ties to China, according to evidence raised in the foreign interference inquiry.

The federal elections commissioner was “less interested in the issue,” according to evidence submitted during the March 28 hearing on alleged Chinese election interference.

Weeks before the 2021 federal election day, members of the Chinese community were invited through social media platform WeChat to a free banquet held in Vancouver’s Chinatown Plaza, as first reported by the Vancouver Sun on Sept. 13, 2021. The event featured Josh Vander Vies, the Liberal candidate for Vancouver East, who campaigned against NDP MP Jenny Kwan,

The banquet’s organizer, Fred Kwok, was allegedly associated with groups that have criticized MPs for declaring Beijing’s repression of the Uyghur minority group as genocide, according to the Sun. Mr. Kwok posted the invitation and paid for the lunch himself, the report noted. The article was later referenced in a Sept. 16, 2021 memo from the Security and Intelligence Threats to Elections Task Force (SITE), a multi-departmental intelligence body.

“A campaign event for the Liberal Party Vancouver East promised a free lunch hosted by a pro-Beijing individual with connections to China,” stated the memo “Federal Election: Threat Trend.”

Ms. Kwan, identified as a target of Beijing’s foreign interference by the Canadian Security Intelligence Service, had also voiced concerns about the banquet’s cost to the elections commission. Records showed MP Kwan filed a Sept. 7, 2021, complaint with federal investigators.

A cursory investigation into the matter lasted over two years, and Mr. Vander Vies was fined $500 for inadequate campaign bookkeeping, according to Blacklock’s Reporter. The Liberal candidate lost to Ms. Kwan in 2021 by 18,000 votes.

Two years after the incident, Ms. Kwan raised the issue again with the elections commission in an email dated Aug. 10, 2023, stating, “When I brought the Fred Kwok matter up on the telephone call with you recently, your response was that you are less interested in this issue.”

Mr. Sujit Choudhry, legal counsel for Ms. Kwan, called on Elections Commissioner Caroline Simard to provide an explanation for the lack of action.

“If in fact the Vancouver Chinese Consulate had provided funding for a lunch with a Canadian citizen hosting it for a political candidate during an election, would that not amount to a violation of section 282.4 of the Canada Elections Act?” Mr. Choudry asked.

“For us this was a file regarding a non-monetary contribution,” Ms. Simard responded in French.

“That wasn’t my question,” Mr. Choudhry said. “My question is simply this: If the Chinese Consulate in Vancouver contributed funds to a lunch hosted for a candidate in the 2021 federal election, would that not amount to undue influence by foreigners in contravention of the Canada Elections Act? It’s a simple question.”

“You will understand in order to analyze a question such as that you have to look at the Act a little more closely,” Ms. Simard said. “I cannot speculate here.”

The inquiry was told the commissioner could have investigated the Chinatown banquet under the Canada Elections Act section 282.4 that prohibits any foreign individual from attempting to “unduly influence an elector” during a campaign.

The commissioner instead investigated the matter under a lesser offence, section 477.59 for failure to provide an accurate “statement of election expense,” and fined Mr. Vander Vies $500.

“Rather than saying there was no foreign interference, at most you could say you were unable to conclude there was no foreign interference,” Mr. Choudhry said. “You couldn’t reach a conclusion either way.”

**

MP Han Dong told a Chinese official that the treatment of two Canadians arbitrarily detained in China could impact the fortunes of his Liberal Party against the Conservatives, according to a federal intelligence summary of Mr. Dong’s conversation released to the foreign interference inquiry.

Mr. Dong testified before the inquiry on April 2 and was asked to comment on the information.

“MP Dong stressed that any transparency provided by the PRC [People’s Republic of China] in relation to the ‘Two Michaels’, such as a court hearing or court date, would help to placate Canadian public opinion and provide some valuable talking points to his own political party against the opposition,” says the intelligence summary.

The “Two Michaels” refers to Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor, who were being detained in China at the time in apparent retaliation of the arrest of Huawei executive Meng Wangzhou in Canada based on a U.S. extradition request.

In another summary point, Mr. Dong is said to have “emphasized that the Canadian public believed that the PRC’s approach” on the issue was “wrong and lacking legal justification,” and that Canadians were of the belief that their country was just doing its legal obligation when arresting Ms. Meng.

Mr. Dong is then said to have commented on the potential ramifications regarding Canadians’ views on the issue, including the scenario of if China were to release Mr. Kovrig and Mr. Spavor, given Canadians’ perception of China’s prior conduct on the issue.

“More precisely, MP Dong’s reference to the detention of the ‘Two Michaels’ came in the context of MP Dong noting the difficulty of getting people to change perspectives once particular positions solidified,” the document says.

“MP Dong expressed the view that even if the PRC released the ‘Two Michaels’ at that moment, opposition parties would view the PRC’s action as an affirmation of the effectiveness of a hardline Canadian approach to the PRC.”

The intelligence summary presented at the inquiry says that Mr. Dong had shared those views in private in early 2021 with an unspecified interlocutor, who was identified during proceedings as the Chinese consul general in Toronto.

**

Former Liberal Han Dong met with international students from China and encouraged them to register as Liberal members during his nomination race in 2019 — but the MP didn't mention that to an ongoing federal inquiry into foreign meddling until he took the stand Tuesday.

The revelation came to light as Dong testified at a public hearing and responded to unsubstantiated allegations that China tampered with Dong's nomination battle by coercing international students.

Dong left the Liberal caucus following media reports of allegations that he willingly participated in Chinese meddling and won his seat in 2019 with Beijing's help.

He denied the claims and countered with legal action against Global News and its parent company, Corus Entertainment.

The reports alleged that Chinese international students with fake addresses had been bused into the riding and coerced to vote for Dong's nomination to avoid losing their student visas.

The allegations also appear in a declassified summary of unconfirmed government intelligence that was released as part of the federal inquiry.

** 

Why should he do his job?:

Chief electoral officer Stéphane Perrault says Canada's spy agency told him during the 2019 general election about possible foreign meddling in a political nomination contest.

A document tabled Thursday at a commission of inquiry into foreign interference says Perrault decided at that point no action could be taken on the issue in the Toronto riding of Don Valley North.

As head of Elections Canada, Perrault is responsible for ensuring Canadians can exercise their democratic rights to vote and be a candidate.

The document, a summary of the commission's classified interview with Perrault, says he noted that participation in a nomination contest is not regulated in the same way as an election.

Perrault also pointed out that no complaints had been lodged by other participants in the nomination contest.

A 2023 media report alleged that China interfered with the nomination of Han Dong as the Liberal candidate in Don Valley North in 2019.

At the inquiry Thursday, Perrault was asked whether the matter brought to him by the Canadian Security Intelligence Service involved the Liberal party's nomination contest.

Perrault said he was not authorized to go beyond what was stated in the document.

 

Now, about that: 

Providing access to the voting system for all eligible citizens, and encouraging voter turnout – via the provision of not only polling stations and other facilities, but also public education and information about the voting process.

Overseeing the periodic readjustment of federal riding boundaries through independent commissions.

Ensuring the registration of political parties; the control of election spending by candidates and political parties; the examination and disclosure of party and candidate financial returns, and the reimbursement of their expenses according to formulas laid down in the Canada Elections Act.

Enforcing federal electoral legislation.

Chairing an advisory committee, with representatives of the registered political parties and of Elections Canada, to create good working relationships and resolve electoral administrative disputes.

Acting as a watchdog, on behalf of Parliament and the public, over government or other efforts to alter the electoral system, in a way that the CEO sees as harmful to Canada's democracy.