MPs vote to open House probe into China’s alleged targeting of Michael Chong – National | 24CA News
The House of Commons on Wednesday voted to open a parliamentary committee probe into allegations of an intimidation marketing campaign by the Chinese authorities towards Conservative MP Michael Chong and different lawmakers.
The challenge will now be taken up by the standing committee on process and House affairs, which is already learning the bigger challenge of overseas interference in Canada, together with current federal elections.
Members within the House applauded when Chong voted in favour of the privilege movement he tabled on Monday.
Canada expelled Chinese diplomat Zhao Wei this week over a newly surfaced 2021 report by the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS), which alleged that the Toronto consular officer sought to intimidate Chong and his family in Hong Kong due to the MP’s criticism of China’s human-rights report.
Other MPs have been additionally allegedly focused in the identical method over their assist of a February 2021 vote condemning China’s therapy of its Uyghur minority. The names of these MPs haven’t been disclosed.
China responded by expelling a Canadian diplomat from Shanghai, with the Liberals warning that the transfer might additionally encourage financial retaliation — leaving industries bracing for blowback.
The movement handed on Wednesday particularly calls on the parliamentary committee to evaluation Zhao’s alleged “intimidation campaign” towards Chong and different Canadian lawmakers.
The Liberal authorities is going through additional questions on when it first turned conscious of the alleged Chinese marketing campaign towards Chong.
Speaking in query interval final Thursday, the Conservative MP stated he had been knowledgeable by the prime minister’s present nationwide safety adviser, Jody Thomas, that CSIS despatched the July 20, 2021 intelligence evaluation to the nationwide safety adviser within the Privy Council Office in addition to to “relevant departments.”
But Global News reported on Tuesday that not one of the three advisors who served in that workplace in 2021 recall receiving the report in query.
Chong has not made himself out there to reply questions in regards to the current briefing he says he acquired from Thomas.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has repeatedly stated he first discovered in regards to the allegations within the media.
After Chong informed the House of Commons final week the report had made its method to the Privy Council’s Office and the nationwide safety advisor, the prime minister informed reporters that he “shared the best information I had at the time.”
Trudeau has since directed CSIS to tell the federal government about any threats made towards officers or their households, no matter whether or not they’re thought-about actionable.
© 2023 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
