Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was advised in a secret 2017 memo against publicly criticizing China in spite of evidence that Chinese Communist Party (CCP) agents were engaging in interference activities in Canada.
The June 29, 2017, memo from cabinet aides came at a time when Ottawa was attempting to negotiate a Chinese free trade agreement.
“The Canadian Security Intelligence Service describes Chinese foreign influence activities in Canada as sophisticated, pervasive, and persistent,” reads the memo, which was obtained by Blacklock’s Reporter. “Although there are other countries conducting foreign influenced activities in Canada, the People’s Republic of China is the most active.”
The censored five-page memo is marked “top secret.” Aides told Mr. Trudeau not to talk about China negatively despite the document specifically mentioning the country 28 times.
“This is a very sensitive issue and public efforts to raise awareness should remain general and not single out specific countries to avoid potential bilateral incidents,” the memo said.
It added that CCP agents attempted to “influence the outcomes of Canadian elections,” “pressure or influence Canadian officials,” and “influence the publication of Canadian media content which portrays the Chinese government negatively.”
Chinese agents had also used “intimidating and threatening behaviour” against Chinese-Canadian dissidents, the document said.
Canada-China Free Trade Talks
Ottawa and China launched exploratory discussions for a possible free trade agreement in September of 2016. Face-to-face meetings took place in February 2017 in Beijing and in Ottawa that April. A third set of meetings took place in Beijing that summer followed by another meeting in Ottawa that September.A majority of Canadians surveyed at the time—64 percent—said they opposed free trade with China, citing its “poor human rights record,” according to in-house Privy Council research. Access to cheaper China-made goods was “a weak argument” for signing a deal, 26 percent of those polled said.
“I don’t see the conditions being present now for these discussions to continue at this time,” Mr. Champagne said, criticizing China for “assertive, coercive diplomacy.”
Mr. Trudeau last September said Canada’s rocky relations with China had stabilized, adding that Ottawa had committed to a timeline for trade deals with the region.
Mr. Trudeau described Canada’s relationship with China as “probably stable” and not deteriorating but added that a rapprochement is impossible “at this particular moment,” in part due to foreign interference concerns.
A recent Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) report indicated that China dedicates more resources to foreign interference in Canada’s elections and democratic institutions than any other country.
The report, which was requested by the commissioner of Canada’s public inquiry into foreign interference, said Beijing continually attempts to exert control over people of Chinese origin in Canada and worldwide.
The core mandate of the public inquiry is to investigate foreign meddling in Canada’s 2019 and 2021 federal elections.
