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Opinion | In probing Chinese interference, Canada must beware of hurting its own citizens

  • Troublingly, the role of the intelligence agency in precipitating the crisis has not been fully examined
  • With media discussions taking interference for granted, a failure to address the pertinent issues risks further victimising Chinese-Canadians

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Shoppers make their way through the Eaton Centre as they visit the Boxing Day sales in Toronto on December 26, 2013. Photo: AP

It looks like the Canadian public is about to be put through a massive experiment designed to shape Canadian policy towards China. The goal? To harness the broad powers of state and society in an existential struggle against the Chinese state.

With the recent launch of a public inquiry into foreign interference in the Canadian election process, the Trudeau government has given in to opposition demands to investigate China’s alleged role in the last two elections in Canada (2019 and 2021).
If the terms of the inquiry so far are any indication, the unsavoury role and questionable practices of the Canadian intelligence service in bringing about this crisis will largely go unexamined. The Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS), as the main intelligence agency here is known, has a long history of discriminatory practices in its pursuit of alleged threats to national security.

Its role in the return of Canadian citizens of Arabic origin or Muslim faith to their country of persecution is well known and has been investigated by federally appointed commissioners over many years. The investigations concluded the service had exaggerated the threat represented by these citizens and forced the government to pay millions of dollars in compensation.

There is no indication that, despite this dismal record, any reforms or safeguards were put in place to prevent such abuse from occurring again. The prejudicial culture that appears to exist in the CSIS is not limited to people or groups outside it. In 2017, it was sued by employees, who later settled, and accused of racism, homophobia and anti-Muslim discrimination.

This record has not discouraged the CSIS from pursuing other alleged threats. After the Canadian government took little action following intelligence reports of alleged Chinese interference in the Canadian political process, copies of the reports were leaked to the media, triggering a massive storm that has not abated.
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