Tag: Canada

William Majcher, Retired R.C.M.P. Officer, Charged With Spying for China

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A retired officer of Canada’s national police force was charged Friday with foreign interference after spying for the Chinese government and targeting an individual on its behalf, the authorities said. The retired officer, William Majcher, 60, “allegedly used his knowledge and his extensive network of contacts in Canada to obtain intelligence or services to benefit” Beijing, the authorities said in a statement. The case is likely to heighten calls for a public inquiry into the Chinese government’s alleged involvement in Canadian affairs. Mr. Majcher, who had been living in Hong…

Retired Canada police officer charged with foreign interference for China

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A retired police officer in Canada has been arrested and is facing rare charges under the country’s national security laws, police said on Friday. William Majcher, 60, “allegedly used his knowledge and his extensive network of contacts in Canada to obtain intelligence or services to benefit the People’s Republic of China”, the Royal Canadian Mounted police said in a news release. Majcher is alleged to have “contributed to the Chinese government’s efforts to identify and intimidate an individual outside the scope of Canadian law”. Majcher is head of EMIDR, a…

Canadian Politicians Who Criticize China Become Its Targets

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The polls predicted a re-election victory, maybe even a landslide. But a couple of weeks before the vote, Kenny Chiu, a member of Canada’s Parliament and a critic of China’s human rights record, was panicking. Something had flipped among the ethnic Chinese voters in his British Columbia district. “Initially, they were supportive,” he said. “And all of a sudden, they just vanished, vaporized, disappeared.” Longtime supporters originally from mainland China were not returning his calls. Volunteers reported icy greetings at formerly friendly homes. Chinese-language news outlets stopped covering him. And…

Canada freezes ties with Chinese bank AIIB over claim it is ‘dominated by Communist party’

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Canada is freezing its ties with the China-led Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) after the bank’s global communications director resigned and said the bank was “dominated by the Communist party”. Finance minister Chrystia Freeland said on Wednesday Canada was putting its ties with AIIB on hold while it investigated the allegations and did not rule out any outcomes, a clear hint that Ottawa could pull out of a bank it officially joined in March 2018. The AIIB was established by Chinese president Xi Jinping in 2016 as a Chinese alternative…

Canadian official investigating Chinese election ‘meddling’ resigns abruptly

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A Canadian official appointed to investigate allegations that China attempted to subvert the country’s federal elections has abruptly resigned, blaming the “highly partisan atmosphere” surrounding his work. David Johnston was appointed in March amid concerns that Justin Trudeau’s government had failed to respond adequately to the threat of foreign interference in the last two elections. But in a letter to the prime minister on Friday he announced his resignation. “When I undertook the task of Independent Special Rapporteur on Foreign Interference, my objective was to help build trust in our…

Erin O’Toole: China targeted me in election, says 2021 rival to Canada’s Trudeau

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Canada’s spy agency told former Conservative party leader Erin O’Toole that China campaigned to discredit him and suppress votes ahead of the 2021 election he lost to Justin Trudeau’s Liberals, O’Toole has said. In a briefing on Friday, the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (Csis) informed O’Toole about intelligence saying Beijing had targeted him in 2021, when he was Conservative leader and running to defeat Trudeau. “The Csis briefing confirmed to me what I had long suspected – that my party, several of my parliamentary caucus members and myself were the…

Canadian special rapporteur rules out inquiry into Chinese interference claims

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An official named to investigate allegations that China attempted to subvert Canadian elections has announced he will not launch a public inquiry, prompting frustration from critics who say the decision only furthers Beijing’s interests. Special rapporteur David Johnston on Tuesday released a 55-page report on foreign interference in Canadian institutions, warning that subversive efforts represented an “increasing threat” to democracy. “Foreign governments are undoubtedly attempting to influence candidates and voters in Canada,” Johnston wrote. “Much has been done already, but considerably more remains to be done to strengthen our capacity…

China’s Economic Needs May Take a Back Seat to Security

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To revive its sluggish economy, China set out this year to woo foreign investors and stabilize its ties with the West. But these goals are colliding with what China’s leader, Xi Jinping, considers the paramount priority: bolstering national security in a world he sees as full of threats. Mr. Xi has warned that China must fight back against a campaign by the United States to contain and suppress the country’s rise. In this worldview, foreign rivals are using spies to weaken China’s economy; Russia is not treated as a pariah…

Beijing to expel Canadian consul in tit for tat move after Ottawa expels Chinese diplomat

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Beijing will expel a Canadian diplomat from Shanghai in a retaliatory move after Canada expelled a Chinese official over allegations he tried to intimidate a Canadian lawmaker who was critical of China’s treatment of its Uyghur Muslim minority. China’s ministry of foreign affairs made the announcement on Tuesday after it had vociferously objected to Ottawa’s expulsion of Zhao Wei, who Canadian intelligence accused of targeting lawmaker Michael Chong and his family. Chong, a Conservative MP, has been critical of Beijing’s human rights abuses. Zhao had been declared “persona non grata”…

Canada Expelling Chinese Diplomat Amid Influence Concerns

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Canada said on Monday it was expelling a Chinese diplomat amid reports he had been intimidating and gathering information on a Canadian lawmaker who had been critical of Beijing’s treatment of its Uyghur Muslim minority, a decision likely to increase tensions between Beijing and Ottawa. Mélanie Joly, Canada’s foreign minister, said in a statement that the diplomat, Zhao Wei, had been declared “persona non grata.” Ms. Joly said the decision has been taken “after careful consideration of all factors at play.” “Diplomats in Canada have been warned that if they…