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Democracy Betrayed, The Scathing Truth Behind Canada’s Foreign Interference Report

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17 minute read

The Opposition with Dan Knight

A damning report reveals years of inaction, secrecy, and complicity as foreign actors targeted elections and silenced communities under Trudeau’s watch

If you want to understand the slow, deliberate erosion of Western democracy, look no further than Canada. A newly released report on foreign interference in Canadian elections is a damning indictment of how a nation’s leadership can be so corrupt, incompetent, and cowardly that it allows foreign powers—most notably China—to undermine its democratic institutions while pretending to govern in the public’s interest. The so-called leader of this disgrace? Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who, despite recently announcing his resignation, continues to embody everything wrong with modern governance: self-interest, spinelessness, and contempt for the very people he was elected to serve.

The report, spanning over a hundred pages, exposes the extent of foreign interference in Canada’s 2019 and 2021 federal elections. But don’t let the dry language and bureaucratic jargon fool you—this isn’t just an academic exercise. This is the story of how a sitting prime minister and his enablers knowingly allowed foreign actors to meddle in the political process, smear opposition candidates, intimidate diaspora communities, and effectively shape the narrative to their benefit.

So let’s get into the details, because, unlike Trudeau and his lackeys, I actually believe in transparency.


China’s Election Meddling: A Case Study in Cowardice

First, let’s talk about the obvious elephant in the room: China. The report doesn’t shy away from stating what we’ve all known for years—China is actively working to undermine Canada’s democracy. The Communist Party of China (CCP) has its hands deep in Canadian politics, and the interference isn’t limited to election periods. According to the report, Beijing’s strategies include manipulating diaspora communities, intimidating critics, spreading disinformation, and even using proxies to influence nomination contests within Canadian political parties.

Take the case of Han Dong, a Liberal candidate in the 2019 election for Don Valley North. Intelligence suggests that PRC officials were involved in irregularities during his nomination process. Buses of international students were allegedly brought in to vote for Dong using falsified documents, all under the direction of CCP-linked operatives. This wasn’t just a small-town scandal; this was a coordinated effort to place Beijing’s preferred candidate into Canada’s Parliament.

The same tactics played out in 2021. Conservative leader Erin O’Toole and MP Kenny Chiu were directly targeted by Chinese-language disinformation campaigns. O’Toole was smeared as a “Canadian Trump,” and Chiu, who dared to propose a foreign influence registry, became the target of coordinated attacks from CCP-linked media. The aim was clear: scare Chinese-Canadian voters away from the Conservatives. The Liberals, conveniently, benefitted from this interference.

Trudeau’s Response: Silence, Secrecy, and Self-Preservation

The government’s handling—or rather, its non-handling—of foreign interference is a case study in cowardice and self-interest. According to the report, intelligence agencies like CSIS raised the alarm about foreign actors meddling in Canada’s elections. They gathered detailed evidence, flagged specific instances of disinformation, and even briefed Trudeau himself. But what did Trudeau do with this critical information? Nothing. Not a statement, not a warning, not even a hint to the Canadian public that their democracy was under attack.

This wasn’t a failure of intelligence; it was a failure of leadership. CSIS fulfilled its duty, providing the necessary information to those in power. Yet Trudeau and his government chose to suppress the truth. Why? Because confronting the issue head-on would have exposed just how much his Liberals benefited from this interference.

And here’s the kicker: the mechanisms designed to protect democracy didn’t just fail—they were rigged to fail. Take the so-called Panel of Five, the bureaucratic body tasked with determining whether threats to elections warrant public disclosure. This group of unelected senior officials, operating under vague thresholds and unclear criteria, decided that Beijing’s activities during both the 2019 and 2021 elections didn’t meet the standard for public disclosure.

Think about that for a second. Intelligence agencies reported that Chinese Communist Party (CCP)-linked operatives were actively meddling in Canada’s elections—spreading lies about opposition candidates, manipulating diaspora communities, and amplifying CCP propaganda. Yet the Trudeau government deemed this not worth telling the Canadian people. The Panel of Five essentially became a firewall, shielding the Liberals from accountability under the guise of maintaining public confidence.

The absurdity doesn’t stop there. After the 2021 election, the Conservative Party compiled evidence of a targeted disinformation campaign against its candidates and sent it to government officials. This wasn’t hearsay—it was a detailed dossier, backed by intelligence and media analysis. What did the Trudeau government do with it? They shrugged. They didn’t investigate further. They didn’t acknowledge the findings. They didn’t even bother to respond substantively. Why? Because that disinformation campaign served their interests.

Let’s be clear about what this means. The Trudeau government, knowing full well that foreign actors were undermining Canada’s democracy, chose to stay silent because the interference helped them win. This isn’t just negligence—it’s complicity. Trudeau and his Liberals actively benefited from the chaos sown by Beijing, and they were perfectly content to let it continue as long as it worked in their favor.

It’s no wonder Trudeau has been so cagey about foreign interference. His government has gone out of its way to bury the issue, hiding behind classified documents and vague statements about “national security.” The report exposes this strategy for what it is: a deliberate effort to suppress the truth and avoid accountability. The Liberals’ refusal to act wasn’t about protecting Canadians—it was about protecting themselves.

Now, let’s talk about the broader implications of this. By choosing secrecy and inaction, Trudeau didn’t just fail to defend Canadian democracy—he actively undermined it. Every time his government ignored intelligence or dismissed concerns, they sent a clear message to foreign actors: Canada is an easy target. Want to manipulate elections? Go right ahead. Want to intimidate Canadian citizens? Be our guest. The government won’t stop you, and they certainly won’t tell anyone about it.

This isn’t leadership. This is betrayal. Trudeau’s decision to prioritize political expediency over national security is a stain on his legacy and a threat to Canada’s future. His silence, his secrecy, and his self-preservation have left the country vulnerable, its democratic institutions weakened, and its people in the dark.

The Trudeau government’s inaction on foreign interference is one of the most shameful episodes in modern Canadian history. It’s a stark reminder that when leaders prioritize their own interests over those of their country, the consequences are catastrophic. The question now is whether Canadians will demand accountability—or whether they’ll let this betrayal go unanswered.

A Government That Betrays Its People

Let’s not mince words here: Justin Trudeau’s government didn’t just fail Canadians—it betrayed them. The foreign interference report exposes this betrayal in excruciating detail. It’s not just about what Trudeau did, like turning a blind eye to Beijing’s meddling in Canadian elections. It’s about what he refused to do. He refused to defend Canada’s democracy when it needed defending most. He refused to stand up to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) when they targeted and intimidated Canadian citizens. And he refused to lead when diaspora communities were crying out for protection against foreign repression on Canadian soil.

Let’s start with the facts laid bare by the report. Chinese-Canadian communities weren’t just affected by foreign interference—they were targeted. Beijing’s agents used fear, manipulation, and outright threats to control the narrative in these communities. Families were warned that voting for candidates critical of the CCP could bring repercussions for their relatives back in China. Activists who dared to speak out against Beijing were silenced, their voices drowned out by a well-organized campaign of intimidation. This wasn’t subtle. This wasn’t covert. This was blatant repression, happening right under Trudeau’s nose.

What’s worse, the report makes clear that this wasn’t just a side effect of interference; it was a strategy. The CCP didn’t just want to influence elections—they wanted to control entire communities. By sowing fear, they discouraged Chinese-Canadians from participating in the democratic process. They wanted to isolate critics, marginalize dissenters, and send a message: if you speak against us, we will come for you and your family. And what did the Trudeau government do in response? Nothing. Not a word. Not a single meaningful action.

This is more than a failure. It’s a dereliction of duty. Trudeau loves to preach about human rights on the world stage, posing for photo ops and lecturing other leaders about the moral high ground. Yet when Beijing came into his own backyard and trampled the rights of Canadian citizens, he stayed silent. Where was his outrage? Where was his condemnation? Nowhere to be found. Trudeau’s inaction sends a clear message to every foreign power looking to exploit Canada: our government will not stand up for its people.

And then there’s the secrecy. Oh, the secrecy. The report claims to promote “transparency,” but most of the critical information remains classified. What Canadians are left with is a series of vague summaries and sanitized conclusions. The government doesn’t trust you to handle the truth. They think you’re too fragile, too uninformed, or maybe just too unimportant to be told what’s really going on.

This isn’t just insulting—it’s dangerous. Secrecy creates a vacuum where misinformation and distrust thrive. It leaves Canadians in the dark about the threats to their democracy, while allowing foreign powers to operate unchecked. And let’s be clear: the Trudeau government’s obsession with secrecy isn’t about protecting national security. It’s about protecting themselves. They don’t want you to see how badly they’ve handled this, how deeply they’ve failed.

What Canadians deserve—and what they’re not getting—is leadership. Real leadership. The kind of leadership that prioritizes the safety, dignity, and rights of its citizens over political expediency. The kind of leadership that takes a stand against foreign bullies instead of kowtowing to them. Trudeau has proven, time and time again, that he is incapable of this. And now, as he prepares to exit stage left, he’s leaving behind a broken system and a government more concerned with maintaining power than defending democracy.

Let’s not fool ourselves into thinking this problem will disappear when Trudeau does. His enablers are still in power. The Liberal Party isn’t just complicit in this failure—it’s the architect of it. Trudeau’s culture of weakness, secrecy, and corruption has infected the entire party. And if you think the new leader will be any different, you’re deluding yourself. This isn’t about one man. It’s about an entire system that has failed Canadians at every level.

The report calls for a “whole-of-society” response to foreign interference. That sounds nice, doesn’t it? Very bureaucratic. Very official. But let’s be honest about what that really means. It’s a way of passing the buck. It’s the government’s way of saying, “This isn’t just our problem—it’s everyone’s problem.” But it’s not everyone’s problem. It’s the government’s job to defend democracy. It’s their responsibility to protect citizens from foreign threats. And if they can’t—or won’t—do the job, then they need to be replaced with people who will.

This is a wake-up call for Canadians. It’s time to demand accountability. Trudeau may be on his way out, but his resignation doesn’t absolve him of responsibility for this mess. Nor does it excuse the failures of his party. The Liberals need to answer for their inaction, their secrecy, and their complicity in allowing foreign interference to thrive.

If you care about Canada’s future—if you care about democracy—then the time to act is now. This isn’t just about protecting elections. It’s about protecting the very foundation of what it means to be Canadian. It’s about standing up for your rights, your voice, and your country. And it starts with holding this government accountable for its betrayal.

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2025 Federal Election

Liberal MP resigns after promoting Chinese government bounty on Conservative rival

Published on

From LifeSiteNews

By Clare Marie Merkowsky

“I find it incredible that Mark Carney would allow someone to run for his party that called for a Canadian citizen to be handed over to a foreign government on a bounty,” he said at a recent rally. “What does that say about whether Mark Carney would protect Canadians?”

Liberal MP candidate Paul Chiang has dropped out of the running after being exposed for suggesting Canadians turn in a Conservative Party candidate to the Chinese consulate to collect a bounty placed on the man by the communist regime.

In an March 31 statement, Chiang, the Liberal candidate for the Markham-Unionville riding, announced his departure from the race after a video of him suggesting a bounty could be claimed for Conservative candidate Joe Tay by handing him over to Chinese authorities circulated on social media. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police have announced they are “probing” the comments.

“I am proud of what we have achieved together and I remain deeply grateful for the trust placed in me,” he said. “This is a uniquely important election with so much at stake for Canadians. As the Prime Minister and Team Canada work to stand up to President Trump and protect our economy, I do not want any distractions in this critical moment.”

 

“That’s why I’m standing aside as our 2025 candidate in our community of Markham-Unionville,” he announced.

Chiang’s resignation follows backlash from Conservatives and Canadians alike when a January video from a news conference with Chinese-language media in Toronto resurfaced.

In the video, Chiang jokingly suggested that Tay, his then-Conservative rival for the Markham–Unionville riding, could be turned over to the Chinese Consulate General in Toronto in return for $1-million Hong Kong dollar bounty, about $183,000 CAD.

 

Conservative Party leader Pierre Poilievre was quick to call out Chiang’s suggestion and blasted Prime Minister Mark Carney for keeping him on the ballot.

Chiang has since apologized for his suggestion on both social media and personally to Tay.

“Today, I spoke with Joseph Tay, the Conservative candidate for Don Valley North, to personally apologize for the comments that I made this past January,” he wrote in a March 30 X post.

 

“It was a terrible lapse of judgement. I recognize the severity of the statement and I am deeply disappointed in myself,” he continued.

Carney has said remarkably little regarding the situation. First, he refused to fire the Liberal candidate, referring to Chiang’s statement as a “terrible lapse of judgment.”

“He’s made his apology. He’s made it to the public, he’s made it to the individual concerned, he’s made it directly to me, and he’s going to continue with his candidacy,” Carney said. “He has my confidence.”

Then, following the announcement of Chaing’s resignation, Carney told reporters that it was time to “move on” and that he would “leave it at that.”

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2025 Federal Election

‘Coordinated and Alarming’: Allegations of Chinese Voter Suppression in 2021 Race That Flipped Toronto Riding to Liberals and Paul Chiang

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“There were Chinese officials following Bob Saroya around.” The Bureau investigates claims of voter intimidation in the Toronto-area riding now at the centre of Canada’s election.

As Canada’s snap election unfolds under the shadow of foreign interference—following the resignation of a Liberal MP accused of suggesting his Conservative rival could be handed to Chinese officials for a bounty—The Bureau has uncovered new allegations that Chinese agents attempted to intimidate voters and the Conservative incumbent in the same Markham–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 Markham–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 Tay—a Canadian citizen wanted under Hong Kong’s National Security Law—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 Chiang’s apology, calling his comments to Chinese-language journalists “the tradecraft of the Chinese Communist Party.” He added: “They are not just aimed at me; they are intended to send a chilling signal to the entire community to force compliance with Beijing’s political goals.” His concerns were echoed by dozens of NGOs and human rights organizations, which condemned Chiang’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 O’Toole’s 2021 Conservative campaign—who spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of intelligence disclosures—O’Toole’s team was briefed by Canadian intelligence that Chinese officials were actively surveilling Saroya during the election. One source recalled being told that “there were Chinese officials following Bob Saroya around,” and that “CSIS literally said repeatedly that this was ‘coordinated and alarming.’”

“Bob lost because the Chinese vote abandoned him,” the source added.

When asked to respond, O’Toole—who stepped down after the 2021 loss—acknowledged awareness of voter intimidation reports but did not say whether CSIS had informed his team about alleged Chinese surveillance targeting Saroya.

“Our candidate Bob Saroya was a hardworking MP who won against the Liberal wave in 2015,” O’Toole wrote. “He 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.”

A third senior Conservative campaign source confirmed Chinese interference was a concern in multiple ridings. “The concern was related to China… we had candidates that were being intimidated,” the source said.

Speaking specifically to Saroya’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. “He said he had never had such a good reaction at the doors, and he assumed he was getting the Chinese traditional vote,” 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 Saroya’s canvassing team and visiting the same homes shortly after campaign stops. While The Bureau has not confirmed CSIS’s exact conclusions, the conduct appears consistent with voter suppression tactics—paralleling public warnings issued this week by Canada’s SITE Task Force.

The source added that CSIS interviewed Saroya. “He was convinced he was being tailed at times,” they said. The Bureau 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 “Special Report” from the Privy Council Office—sourced from over 100 CSIS documents and reviewed by The Bureau—stated that a small number of MPs in 2021 reported concerns for their families, reputations, privacy, and re-election chances due to “targeted” 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 repatriations—or even covert renditions—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 fugitive’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 “Chinese intelligence officers have discussed that Canadians can be ‘messed with’ in person and online because they are critical of China.”

Although SITE officials have not directly addressed Joe Tay’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 Chiang’s comments through Chinese-language media fits a broader pattern of foreign interference aimed at silencing dissidents and influencing voters.

In a public statement, 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. “Please remember two things. First, your vote is secret and secure—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,” the official said Monday.

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

Though Saroya has not spoken publicly about the matter—despite repeated interview requests from The Bureau—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 Trudeau’s Chief of Staff, Katie Telford:

“Ten weeks before the 2021 election, Bob Saroya, then member of Parliament for Markham–Unionville, received a cryptic and threatening text message from Beijing’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?”

Telford replied: “I can’t speak to that information.”

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

In a Facebook post, Chiang wrote: “Today I hosted Justin Trudeau here in Markham–Unionville. It’s time for Erin O’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.”

That message echoed attack ads against O’Toole displayed on a digital screen inside a Chinese grocery store in Toronto’s Scarborough–Agincourt riding, according to evidence presented at the Hogue Commission.

Even after Chiang’s resignation, Prime Minister Mark Carney has faced renewed scrutiny for expressing confidence in him just hours before the RCMP announced its investigation. Carney characterized the controversy as a “teachable moment.”

Dennis Molinaro, a former national security analyst and author of the forthcoming book Under Siege: Interference and Espionage in China’s Secret War Against Canada, criticized Carney’s handling of the issue.

“The threats the community faces are real and longstanding,” Molinaro said. “Carney’s reference to Chiang as a former police officer—as if that’s a valid reason for him to remain in the race—is ludicrous.”

“Carney has continually said next to nothing on China,” he added. “It’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 silent—even after the execution of four Canadians?”

The Durham Regional Police Association—which represents officers in one of the three Ontario forces where Chiang served—issued a statement condemning Carney’s actions. “We 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,” the association wrote, adding that Chiang’s conduct “would be held to a higher standard for an active officer in Ontario.”

The group also rejected Carney’s defense of Chiang’s law enforcement background: “The fact that Mr. Carney used Chiang’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.”

Chiang’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 York’s Diversity and Cultural Resources Unit.

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