MPs Carry Motion Calling on Feds to Expel Chinese Diplomats

A Canadian flag flies by Parliament Hill in Ottawa on March 13, 2020. Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press

A Tory-introduced motion calling for the Liberal government to take immediate action on a number of issues related to Beijing’s alleged interference activities—including the expulsion of a Chinese diplomat accused of intimidating an MP and his family—passed in the House of Commons on Monday.

The motion, which was put forth by Conservative MP Michael Cooper on May 4, calls for the federal government to take action on four specific points in response to “intimidation tactics of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) [that] are being deployed against many Canadians of Chinese descent in diaspora communities across the country.” The motion was adopted, with 170 MPs voting in favour and 150 opposed.

These actions include immediately closing down PRC-run police stations operating in Canada, and expelling all of the PRC diplomats “responsible for and involved in these affronts to Canadian democracy.”

Cooper introduced the motion days after a Globe and Mail report—which cited secret Canadian Security Intelligence Service documents—claimed one of the PRC’s spy services took “specific actions” to target Canadian MPs who created a 2021 House of Commons motion declaring China’s treatment of its Uyghur minority a genocide.

According to the report, Conservative MP Michael Chong and his Hong Kong family were targeted for intimidation. Toronto-based Chinese diplomat Zhao Wei was involved in gathering intelligence on Chong.

Cooper’s motion also called for creating a foreign agent registry similar to in Australia and the United States, and establishing a national public inquiry on foreign election interference. The Liberals started the consultation process for the creation of a foreign agent registry back in March, but Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino has said there is not yet any timeline for when it will be introduced.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has refused to directly establish a national public inquiry on the issue, instead naming former governor general David Johnston as special rapporteur to investigate foreign election interference. Johnston will submit a report by May 23 advising whether a public inquiry or other “mechanisms or transparent processes” are necessary, but opposition MPs have called for a direct public inquiry.

Back in April, a previous motion introduced by Cooper, which would have transferred a parliamentary investigation from the Liberal-chaired Procedure and House Affairs committee (PROC) to the Conservative-chaired ethics committee, was defeated 147 to 177.

Chinese Diplomat to Be Expelled

Before Cooper’s motion was set to be voted on, Minister of Foreign Affairs Melanie Joly announced that the federal government would be expelling Wei from the country. In a statement, Joly said Canada had declared the diplomat “persona non grata” due to “foreign interference in our internal affairs.”

“I have been clear: we will not tolerate any form of foreign interference in our internal affairs. Diplomats in Canada have been warned that if they engage in this type of behaviour, they will be sent home,” Joly said in the statement. “This decision has been taken after careful consideration of all factors at play.”

For weeks, Conservative MPs called for Canada to expel the Chinese diplomat. On May 4, Joly told the House of Commons foreign affairs committee that her department was assessing the potential consequences of expelling a diplomat and would make a decision “very soon.”

Joly mentioned previous actions Beijing took when Canada honoured its legal obligation to the United States by keeping Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou, who was being accused of fraud, under house arrest. China arbitrarily detained Canadian citizens Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor from December 2018 to September 2021.

“We’re assessing the consequences that we'll be facing in case of diplomatic expulsion, because there will be consequences. Economic interests, consular interests, and also diplomatic interests will be affected,” she said.