Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly told the House of Commons on May 4 that the federal government is assessing the possible “consequences” from Beijing that could arise if Canada expels a Chinese diplomat who targeted a Conservative MP and his family in 2021.
“What we’re doing right now, as a government, is we’re assessing the consequences that we'll be facing in case of diplomatic expulsion because there will be consequences,” she told the Commons Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs.
Joly added that Beijing arbitrarily
detained two Canadians—Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor—for more than 1,000 days shortly after Canada arrested Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou on a U.S. warrant to have her extradited on fraud charges.
“What we’ve learned from the two Michaels’ experience is that, of course, China and the People’s Republic of China will take action,” Joly told the committee.
Joly also told the committee that her department is summoning China’s ambassador to Canada over the matter “to convey to him directly that we will not tolerate any form of foreign interference.”
CSIS recently
confirmed a Globe and Mail report published on May 1 saying that the Chinese intelligence service and a Chinese diplomat in Canada took action to target MP Chong and his family living in Hong Kong after he sponsored a House of Commons motion in 2021 declaring China’s treatment of Uyghurs and other Turkic minorities as genocide.
Opposition parties have
called on the Liberal government to immediately expel
Zhao Wei, the Chinese diplomat who reportedly was involved in targeting Chong’s family.
Chong asked Joly during the foreign affairs committee meeting on May 4 when she first learned that he and his family were being targeted by Beijing.
“I learned it through the news,” she replied.
Joly later acknowledged that the federal government is “under pressure” to expel Zhao quickly, but said Ottawa must “make sure, as well, that we protect our democracy.”
“That is why we will take action in light of the facts that are being presented,” she said.
Chong further asked the minister if she could later provide the committee with an answer as to whether or not the Foreign Affairs Department received the July 2021 CSIS intelligence assessment cited in the Globe and Mail’s recent report stating that Beijing was targeting MPs behind the House of Commons motion concerning the Uyghur genocide declaration. “What I can say to you is I’ll shed light on this issue and I'll make sure that we’re as transparent as possible,” Joly replied.
NDP MP Heather McPherson also later expressed support for Chong and said it’s “appalling” that the federal government has not yet expelled Zhao.
“To hear you say things like that you’re ‘assessing it’ makes me very, very concerned that you’re not taking this as seriously as you should,” McPherson said to Joly.
Liberal MP Sameer Zuberi also later added that he is “extremely disturbed” by Beijing’s targeting of Chong.
