LeBlanc to meet with Han Dong about rejoining Liberal Party caucus – National | 24CA News
One of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s most trusted cupboard ministers says he’ll meet with Han Dong within the “coming weeks” to debate the Don Valley North MP’s future with the Liberal caucus.
Speaking to reporters in Moncton Wednesday, Intergovernmental Affairs Minister Dominic LeBlanc mentioned he has “exchanged messages” with Dong in latest weeks and hopes to fulfill with him in particular person in quickly.
“I’m still going through the process. It’s something the prime minister asked me to do (and) I want to do it properly,” LeBlanc mentioned.
In May, Trudeau requested LeBlanc to evaluate whether or not Dong ought to rejoin the Liberal caucus after the Toronto-area MP, at the moment sitting as an impartial, stepped apart within the wake of Global News’ reporting on China’s overseas interference actions in Canada. At the time, Dong mentioned he was stepping apart so he may clear his identify.
Dong’s future with the Liberal Party has been up within the air since March, when Global reported allegations he benefited from covert help from the Chinese consulate in Toronto.
“The Prime Minister asked me to begin a process that would look at all of these issues … And when we have more to say at the right moment, I’d be happy to do so,” LeBlanc mentioned at a press convention.
Asked if he may present a timeline for his deliberations, LeBlanc responded “no.”
Citing unnamed nationwide safety sources, Global News reported in March that Dong allegedly instructed a Chinese diplomat in February 2021 that releasing the “Two Michaels” would profit the Opposition Conservatives. At the time, Michael Spavor and Michael Kovrig had been detained on nationwide safety costs for 2 years in what was extensively seen as retaliation for Canada’s detention of Huawei government Meng Wanzhou.
Global’s sources urged that Dong suggested Chinese consul normal Han Tao that Beijing ought to present some progress on the Two Michaels’ file, which grew to become one of many dominant overseas affairs points dealing with Trudeau’s authorities.
Global additionally reported that in accordance with sources Dong was allegedly a goal of a probe by the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS), which had been investigating a “subtle but effective” election interference operation being run out of China’s consulate in Toronto.
Dong denied that he was a goal of a CSIS probe into election interference saying “I am unaware of the claims provided to you by alleged sources, which contains seriously inaccurate information.”
Dong confirmed that he mentioned the Two Michaels’ detention with Han, however denied that he advocated in opposition to their launch. Dong instructed Global News that “At every opportunity before they returned home, I adamantly demanded their release to Canada without delay.” The Prime Minister’s Office mentioned they have been unaware of these discussions earlier than being approached by Global News.
“The allegations made against me are as false as the ones made against you,” Dong instructed the House of Commons in March, referring to Kovrig and Spavor.
“Let me assure you, as a parliamentarian and as a person, I have never and would never advocate or support the violation of basic human rights of any Canadian – of anyone, anywhere, period.”
He is now suing Global News over the tales.
After Dong stepped away from the Liberal caucus, Trudeau tasked LeBlanc with reviewing the state of affairs to find out if the previous Ontario MPP will rejoin the Liberal fold.
It’s not clear what standards LeBlanc will use to make that dedication.
In his preliminary report on overseas interference actions in Canada, David Johnston concluded that there have been “irregularities” round Dong’s 2019 nomination for the federal Liberals, and a “well-grounded suspicion that the irregularities were tied to the (People’s Republic of China) consulate in Toronto, with whom Mr. Dong maintains relationships.”
However, Johnston mentioned he didn’t discover proof that Dong was “aware of the irregularities or the PRC Consulate’s potential involvement in his nomination.”
Johnston concluded that the allegation Dong had advocated for the Two Michaels’ continued detention to be “false” – a discovering that Dong known as “vindication.”
Johnston urged that the allegations Dong pushed for the Two Michaels’ continued detention have been based mostly on a draft memo that was considerably revised and got here to “quite a different conclusion of what transpired.”
© 2023 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
