2023-05-17 00:24:56
(Ottawa) Conservative Michael Chong, who has reportedly been the target of an intimidation campaign by China, has requested three meetings in less than a year with the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) because he believed himself to be the target of threats.
After the spy agency provided the MP (and others) with a general briefing on the issue of national security on June 24, 2021, he subsequently requested three more meetings with CSIS.
“It was to relay information that I had on threats that I believed I had been the target of,” Michael Chong said on Tuesday of these exchanges which took place on August 5, 2021, February 5, 2022, then February 18. July 2022, as reported The Press a few days ago.
Except to say that the threats in question emanated, according to him, from China, the Ontario MP did not want to go into detail during his appearance before a House of Commons committee considering his case.
“During none of these meetings with CSIS was I provided with any information regarding Zhao Wei, the diplomat from the People’s Republic of China [au consulat de] Toronto, ”he said, however, referring to the Chinese representative whom the Trudeau government expelled last week.
Michael Chong’s story was revealed by the Globe and Mailto whom an intelligence source told that the lawmaker and members of his family in Hong Kong were in Beijing’s sights, and that CSIS had documented information going into a report published in July 2021.
The confidential document did not relate specifically to him. About forty MNAs also took part in the global session offered on June 24, 2021, nearly three months before the federal election in September 2021.
Since the Chong case broke, CSIS has requested a meeting with New Democrat Jenny Kwan of British Columbia, her party confirmed Monday. Former Conservative leader Erin O’Toole also received a call from the agency, according to information from the Globe and Mail.
The two elected officials are among the fiercest critics of the Chinese regime.
New directive
Shortly before Michael Chong’s appearance, federal Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino disclosed the four pillars of a directive he and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau had previously announced last week.
“CSIS will endeavour, to the extent possible and within the law, while protecting the security and integrity of national security and intelligence operations and investigations, to ensure that parliamentarians are informed threats to the security of Canada directed once morest them,” it read.
According to Michael Chong, information of this nature should also be shared with the Speaker of the House of Commons, so that he can alert any MP concerned. And by then, we must find where the government machine has failed, he pleaded in committee.
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