Intelligence Document Reveals ‘Proxy Agents’ Excluded Critics of Beijing from Community Election Events in Vancouver
According to intelligence presented at the public inquiry on foreign interference, Chinese agents actively worked to exclude election candidates critical of Beijing from community events in Vancouver during the 2019 general election. This assessment aligns with NDP MP Jenny Kwan’s testimony.
A summary document showcased during the Foreign Interference Commission on April 3 revealed that intelligence reports indicated Chinese officials coordinated the exclusion of certain political candidates deemed ‘anti-China’ from local community events related to the election. The document, compiled based on information from the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) and others, stated that this exclusion was achieved through People’s Republic of China proxy agents to conceal the direct involvement of Chinese officials.
The inquiry primarily focuses on foreign interference attempts during the 2019 and 2021 elections, with evidence and witness testimonies centering around these events. However, broader foreign interference events are also explored for context.
During her testimony at the inquiry, NDP MP Jenny Kwan discussed being excluded from a Vancouver event celebrating Lunar New Year in February 2022. She noted that despite elected officials from outside the city receiving invitations, her office did not receive one due to her criticism of Beijing’s human rights record.
Ms. Kwan testified that she concurred with an assessment by the Chinese Canadian Concern Group regarding her exclusion from the event, attributing it to her stance on genocide in China and her support for pro-democracy activists in Hong Kong.
Furthermore, the document presented at the inquiry highlighted how PRC officials favored specific political candidates and parties during the 2019 federal election, utilizing proxies to support them based on electoral platforms and positions related to China.
Several MPs, including Ms. Kwan, have been informed by CSIS that they are targets of Beijing due to their advocacy against the Chinese Communist Party. The public inquiry granted Ms. Kwan the right to question witnesses and examine classified documents related to foreign interference.
Former Conservative leaders Erin O’Tool and Kenny Chiu, along with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, are expected to testify in the inquiry. The inquiry aims to report its initial findings on government mechanisms to counter foreign interference by May 3.
