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Alberta RCMP officer dragged by suspect vehicle

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From Airdrie RCMP

Update – Airdrie RCMP members injured during traffic stop

On December 1, 2018 at approximately 2:10 a.m., Airdrie RCMP attempted to stop a suspicious vehicle on Yankee Valley Boulevard in Airdrie, Alberta. As members were positioning themselves for the traffic stop, the suspect vehicle drove away in a dangerous manner. The members pursued the suspect vehicle until it stopped suddenly at the intersection of Cooperā€™s Crossing Gate and Cooperā€™s Drive.

The members exited their unmarked police car and upon approach, the suspect vehicle reversed at a high rate of speed into one of the police officers and the two police vehicles. It is believed the officer was dragged by the suspect vehicle. One of the police vehicles was rendered inoperable.

The suspect vehicle then fled the scene, hitting an occupied civilian vehicle, rendering it inoperable as well. Members pursued the vehicle and it eventually went off the road into a ditch on Township Road 270 and Range Road 290. CPS HAWCS came out to assist.

Three occupants of the vehicle were arrested at this location. The driver fled on foot and was located a short time later by Airdrie Police Dog Service. A second officer was injured in the course of the arrest.

The member who was struck by the vehicle is currently at the Foothills Hospital in Calgary, AB. He is in stable condition but does have injuries.

The investigation is continuing. As soon as more information becomes available another press release will be sent out.

If you have information about this incident, please call the Airdrie RCMP at 403-945-7200 or 911. If you want to remain anonymous, you can contact Crime Stoppers by phone at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS), by internet at www.tipsubmit.com, or by SMS (check your local Crime Stoppers www.crimestoppers.ab.ca for instructions.

President Todayville Inc., Honorary Colonel 41 Signal Regiment, Board Member Lieutenant Governor of Alberta Arts Award Foundation, Director Canadian Forces Liaison Council (Alberta) musician, photographer, former VP/GM CTV Edmonton.

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2025 Federal Election

ā€˜Coordinated and Alarmingā€™: Allegations of Chinese Voter Suppression in 2021 Race That Flipped Toronto Riding to Liberals and Paul Chiang

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ā€œThere were Chinese officials following Bob Saroya around.ā€ The Bureau investigates claims of voter intimidation in the Toronto-area riding now at the centre of Canadaā€™s election.

As Canadaā€™s snap election unfolds under the shadow of foreign interferenceā€”following the resignation of a Liberal MP accused of suggesting his Conservative rival could be handed to Chinese officials for a bountyā€”The BureauĀ has uncovered new allegations that Chinese agents attempted to intimidate voters and the Conservative incumbent in the same Markhamā€“Unionville riding during the 2021 federal campaign. The revelations raise urgent concerns that similar tactics may be resurfacing in Toronto-area ridings with large communities of immigrants from China and Hong Kong.

Paul Chiang, a former police officer who unseated longtime Conservative representative Bob Saroya to win Markhamā€“Unionville for Team Trudeau in 2021, stepped down as a candidate late Monday after the RCMP confirmed it was reviewing remarks he made to Chinese-language media in January. During that event, Chiang reportedly said Conservative candidate Joe Tayā€”a Canadian citizen wanted under Hong Kongā€™s National Security Lawā€”could be taken to the Chinese Consulate in Toronto to claim a bounty.

Tay, a former Hong Kong broadcaster whose independent reporting from Canada has drawn retaliation from Beijing, rejected Chiangā€™s apology, calling his comments to Chinese-language journalists ā€œthe tradecraft of the Chinese Communist Party.ā€ He added: ā€œThey are not just aimed at me; they are intended to send a chilling signal to the entire community to force compliance with Beijingā€™s political goals.ā€ His concerns were echoed by dozens of NGOs and human rights organizations, which condemned Chiangā€™s remarks as an endorsement of transnational repression.

There is no indication Chiang was aware of the intimidation campaign alleged by senior Conservative sources during the 2021 vote. He has described his January remarks as an ill-considered joke, a serious lapse in judgment, and emphasized that he intended no harm or wrongdoing.

According to multiple senior figures from Erin Oā€™Tooleā€™s 2021 Conservative campaignā€”who spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of intelligence disclosuresā€”Oā€™Tooleā€™s team was briefed by Canadian intelligence that Chinese officials were actively surveilling Saroya during the election. One source recalled being told that ā€œthere were Chinese officials following Bob Saroya around,ā€ and that ā€œCSIS literally said repeatedly that this was ā€˜coordinated and alarming.ā€™ā€

ā€œBob lost because the Chinese vote abandoned him,ā€ the source added.

When asked to respond, Oā€™Tooleā€”who stepped down after the 2021 lossā€”acknowledged awareness of voter intimidation reports but did not say whether CSIS had informed his team about alleged Chinese surveillance targeting Saroya.

ā€œOur candidate Bob Saroya was a hardworking MP who won against the Liberal wave in 2015,ā€ Oā€™Toole wrote. ā€œHe won in 2019 as well, but thousands of votes from the Chinese Canadian community stayed home in 2021. We heard reports of intimidation of voters. We also know the Consul General from China took particular interest in the riding and made strange comments to Mr. Saroya ahead of the election. It was always in the top three of the eight or nine ridings that I believe were flipped due to foreign interference. The conduct of Mr. Chiang suggests our serious concerns were warranted.ā€

A third senior Conservative campaign source confirmed Chinese interference was a concern in multiple ridings. ā€œThe concern was related to Chinaā€¦ we had candidates that were being intimidated,ā€ the source said.

Speaking specifically to Saroyaā€™s campaign, the source said that in the early stages of the 2021 election, Saroya and a close family member believed they were performing well. ā€œHe said he had never had such a good reaction at the doors, and he assumed he was getting the Chinese traditional vote,ā€ they recalled.

But the campaign later learned from CSIS that Saroya was allegedly being followed by suspected Chinese security personnel. Intelligence assessments reportedly indicated that these actors were shadowing Saroyaā€™s canvassing team and visiting the same homes shortly after campaign stops. WhileĀ The BureauĀ has not confirmed CSISā€™s exact conclusions, the conduct appears consistent with voter suppression tacticsā€”paralleling public warnings issued this week by Canadaā€™s SITE Task Force.

The source added that CSIS interviewed Saroya. ā€œHe was convinced he was being tailed at times,ā€ they said.Ā The BureauĀ has independently confirmed with two sources that Saroya was interviewed by CSIS.

Saroya has declined to comment.

While Saroya is not named among alleged victims, a January 2022 ā€œSpecial Reportā€ from the Privy Council Officeā€”sourced from over 100 CSIS documents and reviewed byĀ The Bureauā€”stated that a small number of MPs in 2021 reported concerns for their families, reputations, privacy, and re-election chances due to ā€œtargetedā€ CCP activity.

Another section of the report details threats and coercion strongly resembling the emerging picture in Markham. It stated that Chinese diplomats, public security officers, and intelligence officers had monitored Canadians, including one case in which agents threatened the parents of a student in Canada.

The Privy Council Office report also suggested that concerns about forced repatriationsā€”or even covert renditionsā€”of dissidents are plausible. It noted that in 2020, a Chinese police liaison worked with a Canadian law enforcement officer to repatriate an economic fugitive in the Fox Hunt campaign. Another coerced repatriation involved Chinese police bringing a fugitiveā€™s brother and father to Canada, and the relatives could not return to China unless the fugitive returned with them.

The report also noted that ā€œChinese intelligence officers have discussed that Canadians can be ā€˜messed withā€™ in person and online because they are critical of China.ā€

Although SITE officials have not directly addressed Joe Tayā€™s statement that he contacted the RCMP for protection in relation to his candidacy, they acknowledged under repeated questioning from Canadian reporters Monday that the spread of Chiangā€™s comments through Chinese-language media fits a broader pattern of foreign interference aimed at silencing dissidents and influencing voters.

In aĀ public statement,Ā a SITE official said the task force is aware of ongoing efforts by authoritarian regimes to target dissidents, critics, journalists, and other members of diaspora communities. ā€œPlease remember two things. First, your vote is secret and secureā€”it will not be possible to find out who you vote for. And second, it is an offense to threaten someone so that they change their vote,ā€ the official said Monday.

Canadians experiencing intimidation or threats were urged to write down the detailsā€”such as the person, location, and nature of the eventā€”and report to local police or contact the RCMP National Security Information Network.

Though Saroya has not spoken publicly about the matterā€”despite repeated interview requests fromĀ The Bureauā€”parliamentary testimony suggests he raised his concerns within Conservative leadership. During a 2023 hearing of the House Procedure and Affairs Committee, Conservative MP Michael Cooper asked Prime Minister Justin Trudeauā€™s Chief of Staff, Katie Telford:

ā€œTen weeks before the 2021 election, Bob Saroya, then member of Parliament for Markhamā€“Unionville, received a cryptic and threatening text message from Beijingā€™s Consul General in Toronto, suggesting that he would no longer be a member of Parliament after the 2021 election. Were you, the Prime Minister or anyone in the PMO briefed or otherwise have knowledge about that text message?ā€

Telford replied: ā€œI canā€™t speak to that information.ā€

Meanwhile, a review of September 2021 campaign materials shows at least one controversial appearance in Markham featuring Paul Chiang, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, and thenā€“Public Safety Minister Bill Blair.

In a Facebook post, Chiang wrote: ā€œToday I hosted Justin Trudeau here in Markhamā€“Unionville. Itā€™s time for Erin Oā€™Toole to come clean with Canadians, and for Bob Saroya to do the same. Their commitment to re-legalize 1,500 models of assault-style firearms will put the safety of our community at risk.ā€

That message echoed attack ads against Oā€™Toole displayed on a digital screen inside a Chinese grocery store in Torontoā€™s Scarboroughā€“Agincourt riding, according toĀ evidenceĀ presented at the Hogue Commission.

Even after Chiangā€™sĀ resignation,Ā Prime Minister Mark Carney has faced renewed scrutiny for expressingĀ confidence in himĀ just hours before the RCMP announced its investigation. Carney characterized the controversy as a ā€œteachable moment.ā€

Dennis Molinaro, a former national security analyst and author of the forthcoming bookĀ Under Siege: Interference and Espionage in Chinaā€™s Secret War Against Canada, criticized Carneyā€™s handling of the issue.

ā€œThe threats the community faces are real and longstanding,ā€ Molinaro said. ā€œCarneyā€™s reference to Chiang as a former police officerā€”as if thatā€™s a valid reason for him to remain in the raceā€”is ludicrous.ā€

ā€œCarney has continually said next to nothing on China,ā€ he added. ā€œItā€™s one of the most significant political and geopolitical issues of our time, and he has nothing to say? Why? China is a major concern for the United States, and yet he remains silentā€”even after the execution of four Canadians?ā€

The Durham Regional Police Associationā€”which represents officers in one of the three Ontario forces where Chiang servedā€”issued a statement condemning Carneyā€™s actions. ā€œWe are disappointed in the clear lack of integrity and leadership displayed by Mark Carney to stand by this candidate rather than act after such egregious actions,ā€ the association wrote, adding that Chiangā€™s conduct ā€œwould be held to a higher standard for an active officer in Ontario.ā€

The group also rejected Carneyā€™s defense of Chiangā€™s law enforcement background: ā€œThe fact that Mr. Carney used Chiangā€™s policing career as a shield for his actions undermines the great work our heroes in uniform do in their communities each and every day.ā€

Chiangā€™s policing career spanned nearly 30 years. He began with the London Police Service in 1992, later served with the Durham Regional Police, and retired in 2020 as a sergeant with York Regional Police. In 2013, he worked as a diversity officer in Yorkā€™s Diversity and Cultural Resources Unit.

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2025 Federal Election

RCMP Confirms It Is ‘Looking Into’ Alleged Foreign Threat Following Liberal Candidate Paul Chiang Comments

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Sam Cooper

The confirmation followed a day of escalating pressure on Canadian law enforcement afterĀ The BureauĀ revealed that the UK-based human rights organization Hong Kong Watch sent a formal letter to RCMP Commissioner Mike Duheme, calling for a criminal investigation into Chiangā€™s reported remarks.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police confirmed late Monday it is actively reviewing the controversy surrounding Liberal MP Paul Chiangā€™s alleged remarks that appeared to endorse delivering a political rival to a foreign government in exchange for a bounty.

In a statement sent toĀ The Bureau, the RCMP said: ā€œForeign actor interference, including instances of transnational repression, continues to be a pervasive threat in Canada. The RCMP takes all such reports and allegations seriously and ā€” in close partnership with intelligence, law enforcement and regulatory agencies ā€” dedicates significant resources to combatting and investigating criminal activity related to foreign interference in Canadaā€™s democratic processes.ā€

ā€œThe RCMP is looking into the matter,ā€ the statement continued, ā€œhowever no specific details can be provided at this time.ā€

The confirmation followed a day of escalating pressure on Canadian law enforcement afterĀ The BureauĀ revealed that the UK-based human rights organization Hong Kong Watch sent a formal letter to RCMP Commissioner Mike Duheme, calling for a criminal investigation into Chiangā€™s reported remarks. The comments, made during a January meeting with Chinese-language journalists, suggested that Conservative candidate Joe Tay could be brought to the Chinese Consulate in Toronto to claim a bounty placed on him by the Hong Kong police under Beijingā€™s National Security Law.

The organization alleged the remarks could constitute ā€œcounselling to commit kidnappingā€ under Canadaā€™s Criminal Code. In their letter, Hong Kong Watch also referenced the Foreign Interference and Security of Information Act, which prohibits attempts to coerce or intimidate individuals for the benefit of a foreign state.

While the RCMPā€™s statement did not confirm the launch of a formal investigation, it emphasized that if ā€œcriminal or illegal activities occurring in Canada [are] found to be backed by a foreign state, it is within the RCMPā€™s mandate to investigate this activity.ā€

The RCMP said it does not typically disclose information related to ongoing investigations unless charges are laid. Nor will it confirm which individuals may be under protective watch.

Earlier Monday, Tay confirmed that he contacted the RCMP over concerns for his personal safety even before Chiangā€™s comments became public. Chiang, a former police officer and Liberal candidate in Markhamā€“Unionville, has apologized for the remarks, calling them a ā€œterrible lapse in judgment.ā€

Meanwhile, more than 40 Hong Kong diaspora organizations based in Canada and abroad issued a joint statement condemning Chiangā€™s remarks and calling on Prime Minister Mark Carney to remove him as a candidate. Carney told reporters in Toronto that Chiang still has his ā€œconfidence,ā€ and described the incident as a ā€œteachable moment.ā€

The RCMP said its ā€œoverarching priority is the safety and security of the public,ā€ and encouraged anyone who feels threatened online or in person to report such incidents to their local police. In cases of immediate danger, individuals are urged to call 911.

The statement also pointed to the existence of protective mechanisms for election candidates, including through Elections Canada and the federal government.

More to come

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