Did China meddle in Canada’s elections?

FILE PHOTO: People gather at the airport holding Chinese and Canadian flags while waiting for the arrival of Chinese President Hu Jintao in Vancouver, British Columbia, September 16, 2005.
FILE PHOTO: People gather at the airport holding Chinese and Canadian flags while waiting for the arrival of Chinese President Hu Jintao in Vancouver, British Columbia, September 16, 2005.
REUTERS/Andy Clark

Canada’s long-awaited public inquiry into foreign interference in the electoral process started this week and, in an election year in the United States, it will be monitored closely in Washington.

Calls for an inquiry were sparked by media reports that suggested China had interfered in the 2019 and 2021 Canadian federal elections, attempting to swing the country’s 1.7 million citizens of Chinese descent behind the governing Liberals.

Among the allegations were claims that one Liberal MP viewed as being pro-Beijing was nominated as a candidate with the help of paid Chinese students, bused in by the PRC Consulate in Toronto (The MP in question, Han Dong, denied the allegations and is suing the media outlet, Global News). Another allegation suggested that opposition Conservative MPs were targeted by disinformation, such as the claim that a future Conservative government would require all Canadians with ties to China to register on a foreign influence register (there was no such plan).

Prime Minister Justin Trudeauinitially resisted an inquiry, instead appointing former Governor General David Johnston as a “special rapporteur” to produce a report on the extent of the problem. Johnston complied last May, saying that foreign governments did attempt to influence voters but that the problem was less concerning than the headlines suggested. He said China was generally “party agnostic” in that it tried to help “pro-China” candidates in whichever party.

The House of Commons did not accept Johnston’s findings, particularly given his links to Trudeau, and demanded that the minority Liberals set up a public inquiry before a judge to reaffirm Canadians’ faith in the electoral system.

Quebec appeals judge Marie-Josée Hogue kicked off those proceedings on Monday and will report back by December. In the wake of the murder of Sikh separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in British Columbia last June, the inquiry’s focus has broadened beyond China to include possible electoral interference by Russia, India, “and other foreign actors.”

The subject is of acute interest to American lawmakers. Conservative Party foreign affairs critic, Michael Chong, was invited to appear before the Congressional-Executive Commission on China last fall to talk about a Chinese intimidation campaign against his relatives in Hong Kong. Chong said Western allies could work harder to translate intelligence into evidence to be used by judicial systems and could even go public with intelligence to counter disinformation.

More from GZERO Media

On the 80th anniversary of the United Nations, our panel of global experts will discuss the future of global cooperation and governance in the age of AI. Our livestream panel discussion, "Global Stage: Live from the 80th UN General Assembly" will examine these key issues on Tuesday, September 23 at 11:30 AM ET, live from the sidelines of UN headquarters on the first day of high-level General Debate. Watch live at gzeromedia.com/globalstage

Last Thursday, Brazil’s Supreme Court delivered a historic verdict: Jair Bolsonaro, the far-right former president who tried to overturn the 2022 election, was convicted along with seven close allies for conspiring against democracy and plotting to assassinate his rivals, including President Lula. Bolsonaro was sentenced to 27 years in prison and barred from office until 2060. At 70, he will likely spend his remaining years behind bars.
Last Thursday, Brazil’s Supreme Court delivered a historic verdict: Jair Bolsonaro, the far-right former president who tried to overturn the 2022 election.

Last Thursday, Brazil’s Supreme Court delivered a historic verdict: Jair Bolsonaro, the far-right former president who tried to overturn the 2022 election.

This summer, Microsoft released the 2025 Responsible AI Transparency Report, demonstrating Microsoft’s sustained commitment to earning trust at a pace that matches AI innovation. The report outlines new developments in how we build and deploy AI systems responsibly, how we support our customers, and how we learn, evolve, and grow. It highlights our strengthened incident response processes, enhanced risk assessments and mitigations, and proactive regulatory alignment. It also covers new tools and practices we offer our customers to support their AI risk governance efforts, as well as how we work with stakeholders around the world to work towards governance approaches that build trust. You can read the report here.

- YouTube

Brazil’s Supreme Court has sentenced former President Jair Bolsonaro to 27 years in prison for plotting to overturn the 2022 election and allegedly conspiring to assassinate President Lula. In this week's "ask ian," Ian Bremmer says the verdict highlights how “your response… has nothing to do with rule of law. It has everything to do with tribal political affiliation.”