Former MP testified that Chinese Canadians claimed CCP agents were operating within Elections Canada

August 23, 2024 TruthUSA

Many Chinese Canadians believe that individuals working on behalf of the Chinese government are present at Elections Canada offices and polling stations, according to a former Conservative MP testifying at the ongoing foreign interference inquiry.

In a sworn affidavit dated March 27, Leona Alleslev, who represented Aurora-Oak Ridges-Richmond Hill north of Toronto until 2021, stated that constituents informed her during the 2021 election campaign that they were hesitant to visit polling stations out of fear of being identified by Chinese agents.

“Around half of the Chinese-Canadian constituents she interacted with expressed concerns about voting for Ms. Alleslev, citing fears of repercussions in both Canada and China,” the affidavit, as reported by Blacklock’s Reporter, mentioned.

Some individuals claimed to take the threat seriously due to suspicions of Chinese Communist Party (CCP) operatives being present in local Elections Canada facilities and at polling stations.

Alleslev noted that the other half of individuals she spoke with believed that the Conservative Party aimed to undermine the CCP and individuals of Chinese descent, with intentions to diminish China’s sovereignty and economic influence.

Furthermore, Alleslev observed that many constituents shared similar viewpoints, with one individual even possessing a list of “talking points” regarding the Conservative Party.

“[Alleslev] was also informed by Chinese-Canadian constituents of messages implying that she held anti-Chinese views or had the power to impact individuals’ immigration status, citizenship rights, visas, benefits, or deportation,” the affidavit revealed.

In an interim report issued on May 3, Commissioner Marie-Josée Hogue of the foreign interference inquiry discovered that during the 2021 election, the Conservative Party and its former Leader Erin O‘Toole were subject to misinformation spread widely through Chinese-language media outlets associated with or influenced by the People’s Republic of China (PRC) or Chinese Communist Party (CCP).

In his platform for the 2021 election, O’Toole outlined a comprehensive strategy to address Beijing’s aggressive actions and human rights violations both domestically and internationally.

Hogue’s report mentioned that O’Toole had advocated for the recognition of the persecution of Uyghurs in China as genocide and that a Tory MP, Kenny Chiu, who was identified as a target of Beijing’s disinformation during the 2021 election, had proposed a bill to establish a foreign agent registry.

“On September 9 [2021], the Global Times, a Chinese state-run media outlet, published an article titled ‘Canadian Tories’ ‘hostile China blueprint’ contributes to negative sentiment against Beijing amidst strained relations,’” as stated in Hogue’s report.

“Between September 10 and September 16 [2021], at least eight prominent WeChat news accounts in Canada shared the Global Times report suggesting that the Conservative Party would sever ties with the PRC,” the report noted, highlighting additional instances of Beijing’s disinformation campaign against the Conservatives.

Hogue’s report relied on evaluations from Canadian intelligence and security entities to conclude that China poses the greatest threat of foreign interference to Canada.

Riding

The affidavit detailed Alleslev’s interactions with 200 to 300 constituents falling into the described categories during the 2021 election campaign.

The affidavit highlighted the significant presence of individuals of Chinese descent in the Aurora—Oak Ridges—Richmond Hill riding.

In the 2021 election, Alleslev, who obtained 42.1 percent of the votes, was defeated by Liberal candidate Leah Taylor Roy, who secured 45.2 percent of the votes.

Initially elected to Parliament as a Liberal in 2015, Alleslev crossed the floor to join the Conservative Party in 2018. She won the 2019 election as a Conservative, capturing 44.4 percent of the votes against her main rival, the Liberal candidate Taylor Roy, who garnered 42.4 percent of the votes.

The affidavit revealed that Alleslev refrained from reporting her concerns to Elections Canada or the Office of the Commissioner of Canada Elections due to perceived inadequacies in processes, unresponsiveness, and lack of action experienced on other issues.

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