RCMP Steps Up Investigations on Foreign Interference with Sixfold Increase in Cases

July 16, 2024 TruthUSA

The RCMP has stepped up its efforts to combat foreign interference, as indicated by briefing documents prepared for RCMP Commissioner Michael Duheme.

According to the documents, there has been a significant 468 percent increase in foreign interference-related incidents between 2018 and 2022. This trend continued into the following year, with a total of 136 incidents reported by mid-2023. Moreover, the number of RCMP investigations related to foreign interference rose from 32 to 182 over a four-year period.

These statistics were presented in a “Briefing Binder” for Commissioner Duheme during his testimony before the House of Commons Standing Committee on Public Safety and National Security on March 21. Learn more.

“The RCMP is mandated to investigate any instances of foreign interference or other threats to national security,” Commissioner Duheme stated during the committee meeting.

The committee recently examined Bill C-70, which aimed to establish a foreign influence transparency registry. The bill, now law since receiving royal assent on June 20, enables the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) to share threat intelligence with non-federal entities and introduces new criminal offenses related to foreign interference.

The Briefing Binder explicitly mentioned China as a leading foreign state involved in interference, emphasizing their efforts to further their own interests at the expense of Canada’s.

The RCMP addresses threats such as criminal instances of foreign harassment, intimidation, and coercion. Moreover, the RCMP remains focused on combating foreign interference aimed at Canada’s electoral processes.

An ongoing public inquiry is examining Beijing’s alleged interference in Canada’s 2019 and 2021 federal elections, alongside similar activities by other foreign entities. In an interim report released on May 3, Commissioner Marie-Josée Hogue highlighted the negative impacts of Beijing’s interference, noting that it compromised voters’ ability to make informed decisions.

Interference in Canada

The inquiry was initiated following reports of China and its affiliates targeting Canada, including an intelligence leak suggesting that Canada is a high-priority target for the regime.

Recent years have revealed several instances of Chinese interference and associated criminal activities, such as a cyberattack by a Chinese state-sponsored hacker group on parliamentarians in 2021. The FBI revealed this incident in a U.S. indictment released in March, charging seven Chinese nationals linked to the hacking group.

In 2023, the Chinese regime faced criticism after its spy balloons were found trespassing into North American airspace and subsequently shot down by the U.S. military.

Beijing’s alleged establishment of secret police stations, both within Canada and worldwide, has sparked condemnation. Liberal MP John McKay characterized these illicit police stations as an “egregious extension of extraterritoriality.”

Human rights organization Safeguard Defenders, in its 2022 reports, alerted the public to some of these police outposts contributing to the regime’s repression of diaspora communities and involvement in forced repatriation of Chinese nationals. Similar concerns have been echoed by CSIS.

Targeting of Diaspora

Human rights groups and government officials have highlighted Chinese Canadians as significant victims of Beijing’s interference. The regime has also targeted politicians of Chinese descent, including Conservative MP Michael Chong and NDP MP Jenny Kwan, due to their critical stance on China’s human rights abuses.

The RCMP has recently increased its engagement with the Chinese community, encouraging them to report incidents of intimidation and harassment linked to the Chinese regime. Quebec RCMP launched a public awareness campaign on July 10, conducting outreach in Montreal’s Chinatown and nearby Brossard to address foreign interference concerns.

Following a July 9 video campaign on social media requesting tips from residents, Quebec RCMP confirmed receiving six reports of interference.

“The RCMP is actively investigating criminal activities related to foreign interference in Quebec. Education and gathering information are crucial components of our investigative efforts,” stated Quebec RCMP in a July 16 email.

Matthew Horwood, Noé Chartier, and Omid Ghoreishi contributed to this report.

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