OTTAWA — Foreign countries are seeking to manipulate Canada's large immigrant populations to obtain intelligence and technological secrets, according to the latest annual report by Canada 's spy service.
Although the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) did not name the countries involved, Ottawa recently complained about what it says is spying by China. The report was sent to Parliament without advance notice Thursday.
"Despite strong warnings from the government of Canada , certain countries continue to use their intelligence services to manipulate and exploit expatriate communities in Canada ," CSIS said.
"Countries enlist or coerce the cooperation of their citizens who are visiting Canada , such as students and scientists, exchange personnel, members of delegations, employees of state-owned corporations, and business people."
Canada—one of the few developed nations still seeking to attract immigrants—has significant ethnic minorities from China, India, Italy, Ukraine, Russia and Britain among others.
In April, Canadian Foreign Minister Peter MacKay said Ottawa was very worried by the extent of Chinese industrial espionage Canada and would raise its concerns with Beijing. China dismissed the charges as baseless.
"Today, foreign intelligence services continue attempting to infiltrate key Canadian government departments in their quest for intelligence," CSIS said in the report.
"Increasing global economic competition is shifting the focus to the illicit acquisition of economic and technological information. Both traditionally hostile and ostensibly friendly governments have engaged in such activity in Canada ."
CSIS said it was dedicating "substantial resources" to combating foreign interference and economic espionage, which it said "targets scientific and technological developments in Canada 's natural resource sector, as well as our critical economic and information infrastructures".
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