Latest news with #BillC-70
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
It's time to act on foreign interference, attacks on dissidents, say opposition MPs
Opposition parties are calling on Prime Minister Mark Carney's government to quickly implement key provisions of the law adopted last year to counter foreign interference following new revelations that attacks on Chinese dissidents living in Canada and around the world are on the rise. Conservative foreign affairs critic Michael Chong said the "brazen" attacks by the Chinese government constitute a threat to Canadian democracy. "We've had more than enough reports, public inquiries, commissions that have highlighted this transnational repression and foreign interference," Chong said in an interview with CBC News. "It's now time for action." Chong's comments come in the wake of an investigation by CBC News, in conjunction with the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ), which found attacks by the Chinese government on dissidents living in Canada — and around the world — are on the rise. Questioning of family members in China. Surveillance. Threatening phone calls. Online attacks. Spamouflage — which in one case led to fake, sexually explicit photos of one Quebec woman being spread online. In many cases, dissidents are targeted for expressing opinions contrary to the Chinese government's positions on what it calls "the five poisons": democracy in Hong Kong, treatment of Uyghurs, Tibetan freedom, the Falun Gong and Taiwanese independence. The Chinese embassy has yet to respond to questions from CBC News. It's a trend that worries experts on China, who say the attacks damage democracy and national security in Canada. Last June, Parliament adopted Bill C-70, which set out to counter foreign influence in elections and transnational repression of dissidents living in Canada. The legislation called for the establishment of a foreign agent registry and a foreign influence commissioner's office. Nearly a year later, those measures have not yet been put in place. NDP MP Jenny Kwan says it's time. "In light of the CBC investigation and the reports that have now come out, you would think that this would be a priority for the government. But so far, I have yet to hear the prime minister say foreign interference, transnational repression is a top priority for them." Kwan said people who are targeted by China are often told to go to the police, however she said that has often resulted in no action being taken. "All of that only just reinforces for them that there is no avenue for them to seek protection, that the Canadian government is not there with them in the face of such threats," she said. Bloc Québécois MP Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe said the government will be sending China a message if it doesn't act. "You can do whatever you want, we won't move. That's what the message will be. This is very dangerous," he said. Brunelle Duceppe said the Bloc has called for transnational repression to be added to Canada's Criminal Code. Chong said implementing Bill C-70 doesn't appear to be a priority for Carney's government. "The early signs are troubling," Chong said. "There's no mention in the speech from the throne. There's been no update on the establishment of this registry, and we've heard little from the government about protecting Canadians from these national security threats." The Public Safety Department says it is working on drafting the regulations to enact Bill C-70, setting up the commissioner's office and the IT infrastructure for the registry. Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree's office has yet to respond to an interview request from CBC News.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Followed, threatened and smeared — attacks by China against its critics in Canada are on the rise
For Yao Zhang, the news came as a shock. Sexually explicit, deepfake images of her were circulating widely online — an attack that Ottawa blamed on the Chinese government. It wasn't the first time Zhang had been targeted by China. Shortly after the Quebec-based accountant-turned-influencer travelled to Taiwan in January 2024 to support its independence, China's national police paid a visit to her aunt in Chifeng, in mainland China. Zhang was also doxxed — private information about her and members of her family was posted to a website listing people who weren't loyal to China — information only the Chinese government would know. False rumours began to spread online designed to discredit her, alleging that she had an affair with her stepbrother, that she was being paid by the U.S. government. Zhang isn't alone. CBC News spoke with several other Canadian activists who have spoken out against the People's Republic of China (PRC), all of whom described similar attacks: Family members in China questioned by police. Dissidents followed and surveilled in Canada. Threatening phone calls. Online attacks like spamouflage, using a bot network to push spam-like content and propaganda across multiple social media platforms. WATCH | Zhang's family paid a price: While Zhang says she still feels physically safe in Canada, the attacks take a mental toll. "I mean, they can reach you, of course, online or through your relatives in China. I don't think there's anything the Canadian government can do." An investigation by CBC News, in conjunction with the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ), has found attacks by the Chinese government on dissidents living in Canada — and around the world — are on the rise. It's a trend that worries experts on China, who say the attacks damage democracy and national security in Canada. "You've got a foreign government that is causing Canadian citizens and permanent residents to not feel safe in Canada, to not feel they can exercise their own rights and freedoms and speak out," said Michael Kovrig, a former diplomat and expert on Asia who was detained by China for more than 1,000 days. "By undermining those communities, they are ultimately undermining Canadian society and politics and ultimately national security." In June 2024, Parliament adopted Bill C-70 which was supposed to counter the rising threat of transnational repression and foreign interference in Canada by giving government departments and agencies more powers to fight it and by creating a foreign agent registry and a foreign interference transparency commissioner. However, nearly a year later, as reports indicate China has become more brazen, little has been done to put those measures in place, leaving it to Prime Minister Mark Carney's government to implement. In many cases, dissidents are targeted for expressing opinions contrary to the Chinese government's positions on what it calls "the five poisons": democracy in Hong Kong, treatment of Uyghurs, Tibetan freedom, the Falun Gong and Taiwanese independence. "[China] believes that a lot of the main threats to their dominance emanate from overseas," said Dan Stanton, a former CSIS intelligence officer who ran its China desk for four years. "So they need to go abroad to basically neutralize them." The ICIJ's "China Targets" investigation, in which 43 media organizations in 30 countries interviewed more than 100 victims, also documented how the Chinese Communist Party and its proxies have used international organizations such as Interpoland the United Nations to go after its critics and how little some countries have done to stop China's attacks on people living within their borders. After reviewing Chinese government guidelines, the investigation found that "tactics recently deployed against the subjects mirrored the guidelines on how to control individuals labeled as domestic security threats," the ICIJ wrote. The Chinese Embassy in Canada has yet to respond to questions from CBC News. Most of those interviewed didn't report the incidents to authorities in the countries where they were living, the ICIJ found, because they either feared retaliation or doubted the ability of local authorities to help. A number of victims in Canada declined interview requests from CBC News, saying they feared repercussions on themselves or their families. The ICIJ and CBC News found similar tactics being used against critics. In Canada, Justice Marie-Josée Hogue's Public Inquiry into Foreign Interference heard from a number of witnesses — some in public and others behind closed doors — who described incidents of China targeting Canadian residents on Canadian soil. Hogue's conclusion — transnational repression in Canada was a "genuine scourge" and the PRC was the "most active perpetrator of foreign interference targeting Canadian democratic institutions." "What I have learned about it is sufficient for me to sound the alarm that the government must take this seriously and consider ways to address it, Hogue wrote in her final report in January. Hogue said assessing the extent of transnational repression in Canada by China and other countries is difficult because those targeted "may fear reprisals." China uses "a wide range of tradecraft… including using a person's family and friends in China as leverage against them," she wrote. "The PRC uses its diplomatic missions, PRC international students, community organizations and private individuals, among others, to carry out its transnational repression activities." Mehmet Tohti, an Ottawa-based advocate for China's minority Uyghur community in Canada, knows what it is like to be under surveillance. Shortly after the House of Commons adopted a motion recognizing that China was carrying out genocide of Uyghurs in the province of Xinjiang, Tohti was leaving a dinner in Montreal when one of the other diners, who worked with Global Affairs, warned him two cars with covered licence plates were following him that evening. "It was the kind of moment that deeply affected my daily program," said Tohti. "Since then, even if sometimes it takes a little longer, every day I take a different route to my office and a different route from my office to my home." WATCH | How Tohti stays safe: This April, Tohti's three cellphones and his laptop were attacked. After reporting it to the RCMP and the University of Toronto's Citizen Lab, he learned that the attack originated in mainland China. Tohti said many Uyghurs living in Canada are cut off from their families back in Chinabut are also afraid to travel to some other countries for fear that China will use Interpol red notices to have local authorities arrest them and extradite them to China. Uyghur rights advocate Huseyin Celil, was arrested 19 years ago while visiting family in Uzbekistan and handed over to Chinese authorities, who refuse to recognize his Canadian citizenship. He was tried and convicted on what human rights groups have described as trumped-up terrorism charges. It is not known if Cecil is alive or dead. While China has gone after sitting members of Parliament, like Conservative Michael Chong and New Democrat Jenny Kwan, one of its highest profile attacks in recent months was on Joe Tay, a Toronto-area resident who has advocated for democracy in his birthplace of Hong Kong. In December, the Hong Kong Police Force issued a reward of $1 million HK ($177,111 Cdn) for information leading to his arrest for alleged national security violations. During the federal election, as Tay was running as the Conservative candidate in the riding of Don Valley North, the Canadian government's Security and Intelligence Threats to Elections (SITE) Task Force reported a transnational repression operation on Chinese-language social media platforms, amplifying posts related to the bounty and arrest warrant against Tay and suppressing search results on platforms based in the PRC. "The search engine only returns information about the bounty," the task force wrote. "This is not about a single incident with high levels of engagement. It is a series of deliberate and persistent activity across multiple platforms — those in which Chinese-speaking users in Canada are active, including: Facebook, WeChat, TikTok, RedNote and Douyin, a sister-app of TikTok for the Chinese market." At one point during the campaign, police advised that Tay stop campaigning door to door for his own safety, he confirmed. Shortly after the federal election, on May 8, news reports in Hong Kong said Tay's cousin and his wife were brought to a police station from their home in Hong Kong's Fo Tan district to "assist in an investigation" relating to Tay. Tay declined an interview request from CBC News. "I will need a much longer time to reflect on a lot of things still," he wrote in a text. Hugh Yu campaigned for Tay and leads a pro-democracy group in Toronto. He said his members are often reluctant to grant interviews or openly participate in his organization. "They walk away … a lot of people come and say, 'I'm sorry, Hugh, because I have a lot of pressure from family,'" he said, describing how "almost all" of their families in China would have their jobs or pensions threatened because of their public opposition to the Chinese government. Yu said when his group holds pro-democracy demonstrations at Toronto City Hall or at the Chinese consulate, they are watched, with people taking photos and videos. "I think at this point the CCP is very, very successful [at] controlling all of the community, the Chinese community in Canada." Gloria Fung is past president of Canada-Hong Kong Link and has lobbied for Canada to have a registry of foreign agents. She has also received phone calls warning her to stop interfering with Hong Kong's and China's affairs and notices from Google about attempts by state-level hackers to get into her computer systems. Kovrig says China tries to influence how it is perceived and control the message. If influence doesn't work, it resorts to transnational repression. "You're either trying to incentivize people to be supportive of the PRC… or you're trying to censor and silence and coerce potential critics and dissidents to be afraid to speak out," he said. "And that's the repression part." Kovrig says the PRC tends to target Chinese diaspora communities more because it is easier to intimidate people who have relatives back in China or who belong to a community where many people are sympathetic to the CCP. It's also harder for police or intelligence agencies to get inside those communities and understand what is going on. WATCH | China becoming more brazen, Kovrig says: Kovrig has also observed how the PRC has become more aggressive over time. "Whereas previously, Chinese actors might have been relatively reluctant to be more heavy-handed or coercive for fear of negative consequences, increasingly, as China has become more powerful as a state, it's become increasingly brazen about what it's willing to do." Stanton, the former CSIS officer, says where once China might have tried to bring a dissident back to China, now the surveillance and the tactics are more sophisticated. "They may approach extended family members in the PRC, starting with a subtle message, and then it gets a little graver that their relative or counterpart over in Canada is doing anti-state activity.… Maybe someone will lose a job in China to get the message to that person in Canada that they can't speak freely." Stanton, who would like to see a public inquiry on transnational repression, said the government needs a more cohesive approach to dealing with it. "You can't deal with that if the community is not prepared to come forward and talk about it," he said, adding that they're reticent about talking about it because, generally speaking, there's never any action from Canadian officials. "They're left speaking out about it and nothing's done about it from their perception." WATCH | Stanton describes China's tactics: In their responses to the ICIJ and other media organizations, other Chinese embassies dismissed reports China was engaging in transnational repression. "There is no such thing as 'reaching beyond borders' to target so-called dissidents and overseas Chinese… the Chinese government strictly abides by international law and the sovereignty of other countries," Liu Pengyu, spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in the United States, told the ICIJ. "The notion of 'transnational repression' is a groundless accusation, fabricated by a handful of countries and organizations to slander China." As for affairs related to Hong Kong, Tibetans and Uyghurs, they "are entirely China's internal matters," Pengyu wrote. "China firmly opposes the politicization, instrumentalization, or weaponization of human rights issues, as well as foreign interference under the pretext of human rights." Dennis Molinaro, of Ontario Tech University, who recently wrote Under Siege, a book on foreign interference by China in Canadian society, said other countries like Australia and the United States have taken more steps to curb transnational repression. "A lot of activists are particularly dismayed and upset by how little has been done to protect people in Canada and Canadian citizens," he said. "There's sometimes this view that this is akin to community infighting, and it's not. "This is an aggressive state that is targeting Canadian citizens within Canada. These are citizens that are a part of Canada. They shouldn't be ignored," said Molinaro. While direct attacks and threatening phone calls have been largely confined to more active members of the Chinese diaspora in Canada, Fung said transnational repression has had a chilling effect on the entire community. "There's a very famous idiom in China that you kill the chicken to scare all the monkeys." Fung said by delaying the implementation of the foreign agent registry provided for in Bill C-70, the government is giving "a green light" to foreign agents to continue to operate on Canadian soil without any consequences. Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree's office has yet to respond to requests from CBC News for an interview. Max Watson, spokesperson for the ministry said the government has been actively responding to transnational repression, working with communities and with international partners to address the threat. However, Watson said several steps are still required to implement the provisions of C-70, such as drafting regulations, setting up the office, appointing the commissioner and building the IT infrastructure for a registry. But advocates like Tohti and Yu say their sense of safety and security in Canada has deteriorated. Unlike 20 years ago, when he first arrived here, Yu says he doesn't feel safe in Canada. Zhang, however, has no plans to stop speaking out — even if what she says angers the Chinese government. "At the end of the day, Canadians will protect me from the Chinese government's hand. I truly believe that."
Epoch Times
12-05-2025
- Politics
- Epoch Times
Where Federal Parties Stand on Foreign Interference, Transnational Repression as Election Nears
Canada's major political parties have laid out their positions on foreign interference and transnational repression in response to a joint letter backed by dozens of civil society organizations. The parties' responses reveal 'clear differences in tone, emphasis, and commitment,' the groups said. The Canadian Coalition for a Foreign Influence Transparency Registry, along with the Human Rights Coalition, in an April 3 joint letter called on major federal parties to take a clear public stance on influence operations by authoritarian regimes such as China, Russia, and Iran, as well as transnational repression activities affecting diaspora communities in Canada. The joint letter, endorsed by more than 40 civil society groups—including human rights NGOs, think tanks, and advocacy groups representing communities targeted by transnational repression—sought to gather information Canadian voters could use as reference in the federal election, scheduled for April 28. 'Transnational repression is not theoretical—it's happening in Canada right now,' Sarah Teich, spokesperson for the Human Rights Coalition, said in an April 22 press release. 'Authoritarian governments harass, monitor, and coerce individuals on Canadian soil. We welcome the clear commitments made by some parties, but we urge all federal leaders to treat this issue with the urgency and seriousness it deserves.' The groups asked the parties' positions on three key issues: first, the 'full and timely' implementation of the foreign influence transparency registry as proposed in Bill C-70; second, the development of a national strategy to address transnational repression; and third, their commitment to disrupting 'covert' foreign influence. Related Stories 4/16/2025 4/21/2025 The parties' positions on foreign interference and transnational repression were released on April 22, a day after officials from the Security and Intelligence Threats to Elections (SITE) Tay is a Canadian citizen and one of several pro-democracy activists targeted by Hong Kong authorities, who have issued international bounties on Tay and other activists. The transnational repression campaign, which spread negative content about Tay, was carried out on platforms commonly used by Chinese-language speakers in Canada, officials said on April 21. At least one of the Facebook accounts involved was linked to Chinese regime authorities and pro-Beijing groups in Hong Kong. Liberal Party In its response to the civil society groups' joint letter, the Liberal Party highlighted the measures taken by former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government to combat foreign interference, and pledged that a new government led by Liberal Leader Mark Carney would build on those efforts. 'Foreign interference is one of the most serious threats facing Canadians and Canadian institutions,' reads the party's response. 'When hostile and malicious foreign actors attempt to interfere with our democracy, it's to sow division and undermine our values.' It mentions past actions, including investments in national security agencies such as CSIS and CSE, the passing of legislation to 'strengthen and modernize' the tools available to those agencies, and the criminalization of transnational repression activities. The party says Carney would 'respond' to the foreign influence registry, but the Liberals' letter 'does not address the registry's delayed implementation,' civil society groups noted. The party also pledged to expand security measures, including the hiring of 1,000 additional RCMP officers. Earlier this month, SITE identified an information operation linked to Beijing, seeking to influence Chinese-Canadian voters on Carney by spreading both positive and negative narratives. An When asked by reporters why he thought China was promoting positive narratives about him, Carney Conservative Party Responding to the civil society groups' letter, the Tories committed to fast-tracking the implementation of Bill C-70, saying that a Conservative government would 'take foreign interference and transnational repression seriously.' The response was issued by incumbent Conservative candidate Michael Chong, the party's foreign affairs critic. Chong himself has been 'Notably, the foreign influence transparency registry has not yet been implemented by the Liberal government,' Chong wrote. 'Conservatives believe this should be a priority.' Chong pledged to ensure the RCMP can fulfill its mandate, including combating transnational repression and foreign interference in Canada. He also said a Conservative government would 'heed the advice' of Canada's national security experts. He noted that money laundering often accompanies foreign interference, and that the Conservatives are committed to 'reforming and strengthening ' money-laundering laws. Bloc Québécois The Bloc Québécois said it supports the creation of a foreign influence transparency registry, and that it has been pressing the government to establish it. 'Despite the adoption of C-70, the government still hasn't created the registry, which we can only deplore,' the party wrote in French. The Bloc noted it would support a shift to public funding for political parties, as recommended in the Hogue The party also pledged to reintroduce Bill C-290, 'An Act to amend the Public Servants Disclosure Protection Act,' to increase protections for whistleblowers. The act The Bloc also voiced support for the creation of a Canadian Financial Crimes Agency and said it would back efforts to strengthen it. The agency, New Democratic Party In its response, the New Democratic Party (NDP) said it was 'deeply disappointed' that Bill C-70 has yet to be implemented, noting that neither Trudeau nor Carney had appointed a commissioner to enforce the legislation. The NDP called Bill C-70 an 'important step in bolstering deterrence and defence against foreign state actors,' and pledged to ensure a foreign agent registry is put in place. 'Foreign interference is a very serious issue, and it is one that should transcend partisan politics,' the party wrote. 'We know that diaspora groups have been dealing with threats and attempted interference for far too long. Transnational repression is unacceptable.' The NDP said it is committed to implementing the recommendations of the Hogue report, and that it will work with diaspora groups and organizations to 'tackle this head on.' 'We will take new measures to protect Canada from acts of misinformation and disinformation by news and social media outlets, including supporting digital literacy initiatives and tackling online discrimination, misinformation and hate,' the party wrote. Green Party The Green Party also said it is committed to establishing a foreign influence transparency registry, and that it will push for a registry that is 'clear, effective, and responsible,' without affecting legitimate civic engagement. It says its foreign policy plan is based on values like 'peace, human rights, and strong democracies.' 'The Green Party of Canada shares deep concern about the intimidation, surveillance, and coercion that diaspora communities in Canada face from authoritarian regimes,' the party wrote, adding that it backs 'stronger protections' for Canada against foreign interference. The party proposes creating a National Cyber Defence Agency to combat digital threats like disinformation and intimidation campaigns. It says it supports reforming policing to ensure it is 'accountable, transparent, and inclusive,' and that it will also advocate to secure natural resources and critical infrastructure from foreign interference. To address 'covert influence' by authoritarian regimes, the party says it would strengthen protections against foreign meddling in Canadian elections through measures such as expanding third-party political financing rules and incorporating AI-based threat detection. People's Party of Canada The People's Party of Canada (PPC) pointed to 'mass immigration' as a major cause of foreign interference. It argues that, due to Canada's multiculturalism, newcomers are not encouraged to integrate into Canadian society but instead tend to preserve their culture by surrounding themselves with other immigrants. 'Many stay loyal to their country of origin instead of becoming Canadians,' the party wrote. 'This is why it is so easy for foreign governments to continue to have an influence in immigrant communities in Canada.' The party says it regards foreign interference as a 'malevolent influence,' and that a PPC government would ensure intelligence agencies have the necessary tools to counter it. The party added it would fight foreign interference by putting a moratorium on immigration for 'as many years as necessary to solve this issue.' It also said it would deport all people who have overstayed their visas. 'Comprehensive Strategy' Civil society groups welcomed the parties ' initiatives, but said the parties still need to ramp up their response to foreign interference. 'The responses we received reflect a growing awareness across party lines of the serious threat posed by authoritarian foreign regimes,' said Gloria Fung, spokesperson for the Canadian Coalition for a Foreign Influence Transparency Registry. 'But Canadians cannot afford more delays. We need swift implementation of Bill C-70 and a comprehensive strategy that protects vulnerable communities.' Noé Chartier contributed to this report.
