Carney Expresses Confusion Over Beijing’s Information Operation Praising Him

April 8, 2025 TruthUSA

Liberal Leader Mark Carney expressed confusion over an information operation linked to Beijing by security authorities that sought to portray him in a positive light.

During a campaign event in British Columbia on April 8, Carney responded to reporters’ questions by saying, “I have absolutely no idea. I think I’ll leave it at that.”

The day before, the Security and Intelligence Threats to Elections (SITE) Task Force revealed that an online information operation on Chinese social media platform WeChat was promoting narratives about Carney.

According to SITE, the operation involved promoting content from a blog called Youli-Youmian on WeChat, with intelligence linking the blog to the Chinese Communist Party’s Central Political and Legal Affairs Commission.

Laurie-Anne Kempton, assistant secretary to the cabinet for communications with the Privy Council Office, stated, “The SITE Task Force assesses that the foreign state-backed information operation was intended to influence Canadian-Chinese communities and shape perceptions about the candidate [Carney].”

SITE officials noted that the campaign on Carney highlighted his stance towards the United States and scrutinized his experience and credentials.

“Because of a series of modern reforms to the traditional Bank of England, the British media called him a ‘rock star economist,’” one of the Youli-Youmian articles stated in reference to Carney’s tenure as head of the Bank of England from 2013 to 2020.

In response to queries about the positive content on Carney published by Youli-Youmian, Larisa Galadza, associate assistant deputy minister of the International Security and Political Affairs Branch at Global Affairs Canada, stated, “We monitored over the specified period and observed both positive and negative narratives.”

SITE officials also revealed that the same WeChat blog targeted Conservative MP Michael Chong in 2023 and former Deputy Prime Minister and Liberal leadership contender Chrystia Freeland earlier this year.

Carney, when asked about the Chinese information operation, mentioned his actions as prime minister to safeguard the election integrity and counter foreign interference without directly referencing China. He endorsed SITE’s weekly public briefings for transparency.

“I felt it important that there was that transparency, and that transparency will continue,” Carney asserted. “I think It’s been a welcome development for Canadians, but also a warning to foreign actors that we are on top of these things.”

Chong, the Conservatives’ foreign affairs critic, stated that SITE’s latest revelations suggest Beijing is actively interfering in Canada’s election to secure Carney and the Liberals’ re-election for a fourth term.

He further added, “They know that for a decade the Liberals have turned a blind eye to Beijing’s interference in Canada’s democracy,” criticizing the Liberals for their handling of Chinese influence.

The Conservatives have also raised concerns about Carney’s past dealings with Chinese entities in late 2024, including business meetings and financial transactions that raise questions about possible influences from China.

In response to these criticisms, Carney stated that he is not beholden to China but to the Canadian people, emphasizing the importance of diversifying trade in Asia with like-minded partners.

Previous Elections

Regarding the Chinese information operation, Carney outlined the position of the Critical Election Incident Public Protocol during his press conference, stating that the operation did not impact the ability to hold a free and fair election.

The protocol, also known as the “Panel of Five,” consists of senior officials briefed by SITE to decide on public warnings about election incidents. In previous elections, the panel refrained from issuing warnings despite being aware of foreign interference events.

The panel did not intervene in the case of Chinese meddling in the 2019 Liberal nomination contest for candidate Han Dong in Don Valley North, explaining that the incident fell outside their mandate.

Nathalie Drouin, who was deputy minister of justice at the time and now serves as the prime minister’s national security adviser, shared insights on the panel’s decision-making process and the considerations involved.

In another instance involving a disinformation campaign on WeChat targeting a Tory candidate in the 2021 election, the panel chose not to intervene, believing that the candidate’s public statements had mitigated the risks. However, concerns were raised about the effectiveness of this approach in combating disinformation.

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