China’s interference in Canada and its politics involves a mix of economic leverage, influence operations, and clandestine activities aimed at shaping outcomes to favor Beijing’s interests. Based on what’s been uncovered so far, here’s how it’s playing out.
Economically, China has sunk deep roots into Canada. They’ve snapped up significant chunks of Vancouver’s real estate and farmland in British Columbia’s interior, giving them a tangible stake in the country’s resources and infrastructure. This isn’t just investment—it’s leverage. When you control housing markets or food production, you’ve got a say in local pressures and politics without firing a shot. Add to that the 2014 FIPA deal—a 31-year agreement giving Chinese businesses in Canada special protections, including the right to secretly sue the government if laws hurt their profits. It’s a quiet foothold, locking in influence for decades.
Politically, the interference gets murkier. Canada’s spy agency, CSIS, has tracked China’s hand in the 2019 and 2021 federal elections. A February 2023 briefing straight to the Prime Minister’s Office laid it out: China “clandestinely and deceptively” meddled, pushing for candidates who’d either back Beijing or at least not rock the boat. Tactics included funneling cash—possibly $250,000 in one case—through proxies like community groups tied to the Chinese consulate in Toronto. They’ve also used disinformation, like WeChat campaigns smearing Conservative candidates as “anti-China” to scare Chinese-Canadian voters away from them. Think Kenny Chiu in 2021—his riding flipped after a barrage of messaging tied to Beijing’s playbook. The goal? Keep the Liberals in power, preferably with a minority government reliant on softer voices like the NDP.
Then there’s the personal angle. Take Michael Chong, a Conservative MP who got on China’s bad side by calling out their Uyghur policies. In 2021, Beijing allegedly targeted his family in Hong Kong, using a diplomat in Toronto to dig up dirt. Canada booted that guy, Zhao Wei, in 2023, but only after a stink was raised—showing how slow the response can be. And it’s not just MPs. CSIS says China’s Ministry of State Security and United Front Work Department have been cozying up to officials at all levels, sometimes with “honey pots” or trips to China funded by groups like the Chinese People’s Institute of Foreign Affairs. Between 2006 and 2017, parliamentarians took 36 of those sponsored jaunts.
Beyond elections, China’s reach extends to intimidation and control. Reports of “overseas police stations” in cities like Toronto and Vancouver—denied by China’s embassy—suggest they’re keeping tabs on the diaspora, pressuring Chinese nationals to toe the line or face family back home paying the price. CSIS calls this a “sophisticated tool kit”—cyberattacks, economic coercion, even military flexing—all to bend Canada’s democracy without leaving fingerprints.
The kicker? Despite all this, the interference often skates by legally. The Commissioner of Canada Elections found China’s 2021 voter influence didn’t break election laws—free speech, even if it’s foreign-orchestrated, gets a pass. And while CSIS says it’s the “greatest strategic threat” to Canada’s security, the government’s been criticized for dragging its feet. Trudeau’s team got warnings as early as 2017 about PRC agents infiltrating “all levels of government,” yet responses—like expelling Zhao—only came under pressure.
So, China’s playing a long game: buy influence, sway votes, intimidate dissenters, and exploit Canada’s openness. It’s not about flipping the whole system—just nudging it enough to keep Beijing’s interests safe. How much it’s changed actual outcomes is debated, but the stain on trust is real. What’s Canada doing about it? Not enough, if you ask the folks who’ve been targeted.
bleatmop
Mystro
Dead Wild Roses 
2 comments
March 1, 2025 at 9:04 am
tildeb
This may seem like some kind of small to medium affair – especially after the Hogue Commission’s report about ‘foreign interference’ – but here’s the kicker (well, several actually): when you hear about US tariffs and the term ‘fentanyl’ used to justify them, substitute the word ‘China’ for ‘fentanyl’ to understand why the US and other Five Eyes allies do not share sensitive information with Canada. We are not just the weak link for a bunch of reasons but a national security threat to the US because of these Chinese inroads into Canada (including CCP police stations not only in every major city in Canada but also on most campuses… not that anyone gives a shit). Under the current US regime, this will not stand. And the Conservatives in Canada are no better an option on this front. It’s a big enough problem to end the ‘independence’ of Canada from the US’ point of view. And deservedly so.
The other major concern is the public display of Chinese backed organized crime (the ‘Hong Kong Syndicate’ bosses) that has immediate access to all levels of Canadian government (as well as Canadian/Hong Kong dual citizen passports always ready to be used if necessary). Why does this matter? Well, when you hear the trope that Canada is responsible for ‘only 1% of fentanyl going into the US’, this is a straight up, Chinese backed lie gobbled up by a gullible press.
In fact, Canada is a major exporter to the US of fentanyl because the same manufacturing pipelines the Chinese use through cartels (now labelled ‘terrorist organizations’ by the US) resides in Canada (2 major labs each producing more than 100 times Canada’s consumption of this drug were ‘busted’ in BC in just the past few years with more operating at capacity… a capacity far, FAR beyond local Canadian ‘demands’ for this drug). There is a Road and Belt (this is the name of a Chinese long term economic strategy to build infrastructure at trade nexus points globally) portion of a Vancouver dock overseen by Chinese port authorities (Cristie Clark approved the elimination of the long time separate and independent Port Authority and granted special permits to Chinese for this to happen, as well as being key to approving licenses for BC casinos to launder vast sums of dirty money). In other words, both the RCMP and CSIS have been systematically stymied at both the federal and provincial levels addressing this criminal activity in any meaningful way and so it surprises only the ignorant that the Hogue Commission failed to take any of this into account. But the evidence of this deepening interference by the CCP is both plain and obvious.
The reason this harms Canadians so much isn’t just the criminal activity; it’s the approval and transfer of mortgages to create paybacks to willing helpers. The use of such mortgages have driven up the price of real estate across the country when people have to compete with organized crime money and CCP oversight poured into our major real estate markets. There are hundreds of clear examples of this laundering through real estate when, to take but a few examples, international Chinese students who are ‘approved’ for buying a home at 3 or 4 times the market value (literally millions of dollars) yet carry $10,000 in student loans they have difficulty repaying. Often such people are listed as ‘working from home’ somewhere in China as some kind of ‘business manager’ making on paper $300-750k per year. Some people like apartment cleaners in Toronto have several of these jobs and many mortgages on many houses. Higher up Chinese officials sell homes in Vancouver marked up again by many millions of dollars to individuals who have done particularly well helping the CCP as payback for services rendered. This is all done out in the open not just by Chinese backed banks but all 6 of Canada’s major banks. That’s why the TD being dinged a few billion in the States for laundering money is a small price to pay. In other words, the Chinese have turned Canada into its bitch and all of us are paying for it… especially the younger generation.
This is what the US finds intolerable because it is a strategic threat to them well beyond the pale and has been allowed to happen by every Canadian provincial and federal government over the past 30 years (roughly). A perfect example is the recently appointed ‘fentanyl czar’ who is very much a part of the business-as-usual well-connected Canadian intelligence administration working diligently on behalf of its Chinese directors to not rock the boat. Again, all of this is in the open and blatant. Just listen to Brad West talk about all this with the previous SecState Blinken. It’s not hidden. And it will not stand under Trump. Canada is no longer the country it once was; it is fast becoming a suzerain state – a proxy – of the Chinese government. Its geography and location to the US makes this a battleground and one the US will win. Gird thy loins… it’s going to get ugly fast.
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March 1, 2025 at 9:14 am
tildeb
Notice how fast Mexico addressed US concerns with the miraculous and sudden arrest and expedited extradition of 29 high ranking cartel bosses? Hmm… I wonder why (snark)? Where is Canada’s contribution (granted 30 days to put up or shut up)?
I think 25% tariffs are just the beginning and will go in only 1 direction until Canada steps up and delivers meaningful change and demonstrates seamless alignment with US policies.
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