BARRHEAD - Is foreign interference, especially by China in Canada's electoral process, real?
The Conservative Party of Canada (CPC) and Peace River-Westlock MP Arnold Viersen believe that is the case and that the federal Liberals are the beneficiaries.
He told County of Barrhead councillors this during their July 4 meeting in response to Coun. Ron Kleinfeldt's question on why the government was not holding a public inquiry over allegations by unnamed Canadian security officials that the Chinese government meddled in the 2019 and 2021 federal elections.
He also agreed with Kleinfeldt that a public inquiry was necessary if they were ever going to learn the truth.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called upon former General Governor David Johnston to investigate the allegation and determine a process going forward.
He stopped short of recommending a public inquiry, stating he planned to hold a series of public hearings to help shine more light on the problem of foreign interference.
In early June, Johnston resigned from his position of special rapporteur, saying his role had become too muddled in political controversy for him to continue.
"There are a couple of things that are interesting," Viersen said. "The government approved a Chinese company's ability to do contract work with the RCMP, and the next day $72,000 ended up in the bank account of Justin Trudeau's riding association? It was all legal; it was the right amount of money per person. They had it all figured out."
What Viersen was referring to was a contract the RCMP negotiated with the Ontario-based Sinclair Technologies for radio frequency (RF) equipment late last year. However, a Radio-Canada report discovered that the company has been controlled by Hytera Communications of Shenzen, China since 2017, when Hytera purchased Norsat International, Sinclair's parent company.
The Chinese government owns approximately 10 per cent of Hytera Communications through an investment fund.
Viersen then referred to a handful of CPC candidates, including former MP Kenny Chu, who mysteriously lost thousands of votes from people with Chinese last names in the 2019 election compared to the previous election.
"They did not vote for another party. They didn't show up, so there is some intimidation or voter suppression that is being motivated by Chinese consolates," he said. "The influence that the Chinese government has on people of Chinese origins is immense, but it is not just China. The Iranian community is under similar threats and pressures."
Viersen noted the issue of potential foreign interference in the Canadian political system is not new.
He said the CPC suspected it had been happening for some time, adding they have been sounding the alarm since 2015.
Viersen added foreign interference does not only happen in elections, but there is evidence that it happens in nomination battles.
"Out of nowhere, a busload of Chinese people arrive with a candidate's names written on their arms," he said. "One of the most outspoken anti-China Conservative members of Parliament lost his nomination. He might have lost the nomination for many other things, but it is interesting."
Coun. Bill Lane asked if there was any truth to the rumour that the Chinese military conducted joint exercises on Vancouver Island,
Viersen said he also heard the rumour, but as far as he knows, it did not happen.
"However, the Vancouver Police Department has a training program where they fly police officers from other nations and ride along with their members for a month," he said. "The Chinese found that out and flooded the program with their officers."
Barry Kerton, TownandCountryToday.com
