Former MP Who Faced Consequences for Advocating Foreign Agent Registry Approves of New Legislation with Caution
Former Tory MP Kenny Chiu expressed support for the Liberal government’s proposed foreign agent registry legislation. Mr. Chiu, who had previously introduced a similar bill, was the target of foreign interference and disinformation during the 2021 election, which he ultimately lost.
“Finally, after so much denying, delaying, and dragging the feet, the Canadian government seems to be now moving in a good direction,” he said.
Additional Tools
Mr. Chiu expressed concerns about the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) using certain Chinese diaspora communities to advance its interests, highlighting their manipulation in foreign interference campaigns.
“Since the CCP has weaponized Han Chinese [ethnic] nationalism, I have no doubt that there will, perhaps, be people who are willingly participating in [Beijing’s foreign interference campaigns] without receiving any benefits,” he said. “For these people, monetary penalties and even jail time, perhaps, may not be enough to discourage them.”
Mr. Chiu suggested additional tools to address technological threats such as malign algorithms that could expose Canadians’ private information to a hostile foreign government.
He also reiterated his stance on sanctioning Chinese state media like CGTN, akin to Canada’s banning of Russian television network RT from Canadian airwaves following Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine in early 2022. In testimony before the House of Commons ethics committee on March 31, 2023, Mr. Chiu stated, “These multi-dimensional disinformation campaigns help to solidify mistrust towards certain politicians or political parties, and they are very effective, especially during election time.”
‘Sense of Urgency’
Gloria Fung, president of the advocacy group Canada-Hong Kong Link, said she is “very pleased” to see the government finally creating a foreign influence registry. She urged parliamentarians to support the legislation and pass it before the next federal election.
“I’m still very concerned about the timing of the proposed act’s implementation, that is, whether it will get passed in Parliament soon enough for it to become up and running before the next election is called,” she told The Epoch Times on May 7.
“If not, then for sure the election infiltration and interference we experienced in 2019 and 2021 will repeat itself in the 2025 election. Therefore, we call upon all members of parliament and senators to share this sense of urgency. We will be watching how all parties respond to this need for immediate action.”
“You could have introduced it as a government bill after Mr. Chiu lost his seat as a result of interference from Beijing. Why did it take so long to put this piece of the puzzle on the table and get it done?” he asked.
Sen. Marc Gold, the government representative in the Senate, expressed appreciation for Mr. Housakos’ advocacy for the registry but rejected criticism of the Liberal government’s delay, saying Ottawa has “come forward with a serious legislation that will strike the right balance between protecting our national security and our constitutional values.”
Clearing the Clouds
Ms. Fung noted that some opponents who have dismissed the two pieces of legislation from Mr. Chiu and Mr. Housakos have falsely cited “anti-Chinese” sentiment as their reason. She said such claims come from individuals aligned with the Beijing regime and that Ottawa’s proposed legislation will help uncover the truth.
“Sunlight is always the best sanitizer,” she said, adding, “It will also help to get rid of the clouds of suspicion overhanging our [Chinese] community.”