The public inquiry into foreign interference has come under fire for being a ‘huge fishing net’ that collects intelligence and is at risk of leaks due to the inclusion of individuals accused of ties to China. The Canadian Friends of Hong Kong (CFHK) expressed concerns about the security integrity of the public inquiry and criticized Commissioner Marie-Josée Hogue’s decision to include former Liberal MP Han Dong, Senator Yuan Pau Woo, and Michael Chan, deputy mayor of Markham, Ont.
These individuals were granted full standing or intervener standing at the inquiry, allowing them to interrogate witnesses, access classified evidence, and make oral and written submissions. CFHK stated that the inquiry functions like a large fishing net that snags all kinds of foreign interference information from various sources, warning that any documents seen by adversaries could give them a target.
The Uyghur Rights Advocacy Project (URAP) also withdrew from the inquiry due to security concerns related to the inclusion of the three politicians. Commissioner Hogue acknowledged URAP’s concerns about witnesses being questioned by Mr. Dong and Mr. Chan, but upheld her decision to involve the politicians, leading URAP to ultimately withdraw from the hearings.
Allegations against the three politicians include inappropriate ties to the Chinese consulate. Mr. Dong has been accused of having close ties with China’s former consul general in Toronto, Han Tao, while Mr. Chan faces allegations of inappropriate associations with Chinese diplomat Zhao Wei.
CFHK cited a Macdonald-Laurier Institute (MLI) article in which experts warned that the foreign interference inquiry could “backfire” on Canada’s national security. They stated that by granting standing to individuals with alleged ties to the Chinese embassy, the inquiry could potentially offer insight to adversaries, enabling them to design and execute more effective interference operations.