Justin Trudeau blames China for ‘aggressive’ interference in Canada’s democracy
IndependentNov 27, 2022
The Facts
Canada's Foreign Minister, Melanie Joly, announced on Thursday the summoning of the Chinese ambassador, Cong Peiwu, to assert that Ottawa "will not tolerate" foreign interference.
This comes as she confirmed media reports that the Canadian Security Intelligence Service believes a Toronto-based Chinese diplomat has harassed Conservative legislator Michael Chong and his relatives in Hong Kong.
The Spin
Right narrative
Trudeau has long been advised that foreign interference was co-opting Canadian politicians and officials at all levels by bribery and threats, with his government being told to join forces with regional governments and create a foreign agent registration system to curb this problem. His neglect of this issue has now become a threat to Canadian national security.
Left narrative
The Canadian government obviously must take measures to tackle foreign interference but caution and moderation are needed. Policies such as registering foreign agents, backed by opposition parties, might prove disastrous for the civil rights of people in Canada as those expressing establishment-critical viewpoints would be treated differently than those liaising with Western foreign officials.
Pro-China narrative
Given that Beijing has unwaveringly opposed any country meddling in another country's domestic affairs, claims recently made by Canadian media outlets and politicians that the Chinese Consulate-General in Toronto was coercing a Canadian lawmaker are completely baseless. Once again, certain sectors of the West continue to engage in a smear campaign against the PRC to disrupt bilateral relations.
