China, Hong Kong and Foreign Interference

Politico NEWS: Canada’s Parliament rocked by allegations of treason

OTTAWA — The capital of one of the world’s most stable democracies is gripped by growing panic about foreign agents working in elected office. A bombshell report by Canadian lawmakers has unnerved Parliament Hill, alleging that unnamed politicians have been covertly working with foreign governments.

The revelation in heavily redacted findings released this week by an all-party national security committee adds intrigue to a separate and ongoing inquiry into foreign interference in Canada’s 2019 and 2021 elections.

The new report from the National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians is the first to suggest that lawmakers in Canada’s parliament may have helped foreign actors meddle in political campaigns and leadership races. Heightened anxiety in Ottawa about foreign interference comes in the middle of historic global elections where factors such as artificial intelligence and emboldened foreign powers are testing the resilience of democratic systems.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has been on the defensive since the allegations broke Monday. Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre is calling on the government to name names.

CBC NEWS: Federal parties aligning on need for speed with anti-foreign meddling bill

In an interview on Rosemary Barton Live that aired Sunday, NDP MP Jenny Kwan — who says CSIS has told her she has been targeted by the Chinese government — said some amendments to the bill would be introduced, but that it did need to be in place before the next election.

"That process will unfold, but absolutely this law needs to be in place before the next election," Kwan told CBC chief political correspondent Rosemary Barton.

The Bloc Québécois also told CBC News it would be putting forward some amendments to the legislation. The bill was unanimously sent forward to committee consideration late last month.

Bill C-70 would introduce new criminal provisions against deceptive or surreptitious acts, allow for the broader sharing of sensitive information and establish a foreign influence transparency registry.

CIM#104: Pension Transferability and Access to MPF, and Delays in PR and Visas for Hong Kongers

Jenny Kwan Vancouver East, BC
NDP

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair, and thank you to the witnesses.

My first question is for the Finance officials.

Yesterday, we were advised by Manulife and Sun Life that in order for Hong Kongers to be able to access their pension funds, they have to, because of the regulations, produce documentation to show that they're either a citizen or a permanent resident in an alternate country.

Could you advise and confirm for us if those regulations are Canadian regulations?

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Jenny Kwan Vancouver East, BC
NDP

Thank you for that.

I may add that we should actually be calling for the release of all political prisoners in Hong Kong in relation to the national security law and the most recent article 23. I hope the officials will bring that back to the minister as well.

I want to follow up with the IRCC officials, in particular Ms. Snow, on her comment that the average processing time is now eight months. There are about 10,000 people waiting for PR applications to be processed from Hong Kong at the moment. That's as of March 2024.

Can you confirm, then, that those individuals will get their PR applications processed in eight months?

Click to read the full discussion from the Committee meeting

Vancouver Is Awesome NEWS: Vancouver councillor hints at city memorial for Tiananmen Square massacre

Vancouver-Mount Pleasant MP Jenny Kwan told Glacier Media by email she is supportive of Zhou’s memorial ambition.

“I would support having a memorial in Vancouver as well. Having it at UBC allows for easy access for students and the student movement; that said, having a second memorial in Vancouver is certainly something I would support,” stated Kwan.

Chinese government critics such as Tung note the massacre was a milestone for Canadian immigration.

Between 1987 and 1997, 225,000 people emigrated from Hong Kong to Canada, according to a Statistics Canada website outlining the biggest immigration waves in history.

CIM#103: Pension Transferability and Access to MPF, and Delays in PR and Visas for Hong Kongers

Jenny Kwan Vancouver East, BC
NDP

Thank very much, Mr. Chair.

Thank you to all three of the witnesses, from Canada-Hong Kong Link, VSSDM and Hong Kong Watch, not just for appearing today but for your ongoing work in support of Hong Kongers. I truly, deeply appreciate that.

My first question is around the interim measure. The government has announced that its interim measure is really meant to be a bridging process. However, related to that and as we heard, what Hong Kongers really need is permanent resident status.

Related to the permanent resident status are the immigration level numbers, because the level planned this year under the categories of H and C and protected persons is set at 13,500. Next year it will be at 8,000, and the following year it will be at 8,000 also.

In light of those limitations, in order to facilitate the processing of applications for PR for Hong Kongers, would the government need to change the immigration level numbers and have a dedicated path for Hong Kongers?

I'm going to start with you, Andy, please.

iPolitics NEWS: House approves motion to fast track government’s foreign agent registry bill

MPs have reached a deal to fast track the Trudeau government’s foreign agent registry bill through the House of Commons.

NDP MP Jenny Kwan won unanimous support on Thursday for her motion setting up accelerated timelines for the bill’s progression through the national security committee, with the legislation now set to return to the House on June 12.

It comes only a day after the NDP voted down a Conservative motion that would have set up a final House vote on the bill next week.

The NDP said the Conservative motion didn’t provide enough time to scrutinize the bill, hear from witnesses and potentially offer changes.

Kwan’s motion requires the national security committee to prioritize the study of the bill and extends its sitting hours to hear from witnesses. It also requires the committee to invite Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc and officials from the RCMP, CSIS and the Department of Public Safety as well as the prime minister’s national security advisor to testify.

Prospective amendments must be submitted to the committee clerk by end of day June 7 and one meeting on June 10 will be devoted to clause-by-clause consideration, under the terms of the motion.

The bill will then return to the House and must be debated at the report stage on June 12.

 

HANSARD: Speech in Parliament on foreign interference, Liberal government response and interim report

Parliament VIDEO: Speech in Parliament on foreign interference, Liberal government response and interim report

On May 9, 2024, MP Jenny Kwan (NDP-Vancouver East) made a speech about foreign interference, in response to a motion regarding cyber attacks targeting Members of Parliament.

 

HANSARD: Will the Prime Minister take action on Don Valley North now?

CIMM#98: Government's Response to Afghanistan Final Report, Processing Times for PR Pathways for Hongkongers and Canadian Armed Forces' Applications

Jenny Kwan Vancouver East, BC
NDP

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.

At this juncture, I would like to move the following motion:

That the committee request that Global Affairs (GAC) provide the unredacted findings of the internal investigation regarding the issuance of “inauthentic” facilitation letters to third parties to the law clerk and parliamentary counsel for redaction according to his discretion before being sent to the committee, and further that GAC provide to the community the unredacted name and title of the official(s) within GAC who provided the “inauthentic” facilitation letter to George Young, acknowledged receipt of Senator McPhedran's email and shared the names of the vulnerable Afghans with Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada no later than 30 days following the adoption of the motion.

Mr. Chair, I'm moving this motion today because we heard on August 25, 2021, from Senator McPhedran. In her testimony, she said, “the facilitation template in question was sent to me by George Young”. That's a quote from her testimony. She went on further to say, “Mr. Young received this facilitation template from Global Affairs Canada, and he told me this in writing.” She then further stated:

Names for the rolling list were sent frequently to George Young and Mr. Oz Jungic, a senior policy adviser to the Minister of Foreign Affairs. Jungic confirmed receipt of the names to me on August 24, with an assurance that they would do everything they could to try to help get these people out.

Senator McPhedran went on to say, “Mr. Young stated that he had put these names 'into the system'.” She also said:

When George Young sent me the facilitation templates on August 25, he wrote, with the first one, “I have received this from a colleague at GAC...try it. George.”

What we need to get to is who from GAC provided that “inauthentic” facilitation letter to George Young.

Mr. Chair, to that end, I am moving this motion so that we can get that information.