The China Inquiry has named 13 ridings that were allegedly targetted during the 2019 and 2021 federal elections, and one MP changed his original story, according to Blacklock’s Reporter. The Commission on Foreign Interference opened a secret document containing Conservative Party allegations entitled Memorandum For The Clerk Of The Privy Council. “There is a strong case to be made there was a degree of influence exerted by an outside actor in the Chinese community during the 44th general election,” the memo states. “From speaking with campaign teams and regional organizers we believe this influence negatively impacted our standing in these seats.”“These included anti-Conservative Party ads displayed on a digital screen in a Chinese grocery store in one riding, automated bots completing polling surveys, allegations that ‘organizers’ in specific communities requested and cast ballots on behalf of electors and reports of business owners pushing employees to vote for the Liberal Party and other voter intimidation and influence.”The memo is the first public naming of 13 ridings allegedly targeted by clandestine activities. Conservative organizers noted they deliberately did not announce their concerns..Liberal MP Ken Hardie told the commission Tuesday he privately contacted the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) following his 2021 re-election regarding allegations of pro-Liberal interference by foreign agents.Hardie’s riding, along with 12 others, were allegedly targeted by Beijing, including seats held by two former cabinet ministers and the current chair of the Commons Foreign Affairs Committee.“I asked for a meeting with CSIS,” Hardie said. “We had an in-person meeting. They wanted to know what I knew.”Hardie testified following the 2021 campaign he was contacted by the Conservative candidate, Dave Hayer, “a man I consider a friend,” who expressed concerns about voter suppression. Hardie said his campaign analyzed data at select polls with large Chinese Canadian constituencies.“I am sensitive to the impact of China in Metro Vancouver,” said Hardie. “This is something we need to take seriously.”Hardie added while neither he nor his Conservative opponent believed any interference affected the outcome — Liberals won the riding, Fleetwood-Port Kells, by 6,797 votes — anomalies did appear to impact some 1,500 votes in the riding. “We saw a shift but we couldn’t put it down to one factor or another,” said Hardie.“At no time did Erin O’Toole or any member of his team try to make a Trumpian assertion that the election was lost by the Conservatives because of foreign interference,” testified Walied Soliman, co-chair of the 2021 Conservative campaign.“We believed at that point there was something wrong that was happening. We didn’t quite understand it,” testified Soliman, adding party organizers documented numerous irregularities.Four of the 13 ridings were in Metro Vancouver including Fleetwood-Port Kells, Richmond Centre held by Liberal MP Wilson Miao, Steveson-Richmond East held by Liberal MP Parm Bains and Coquitlam-Port Coquitlam held by Liberal MP Ron McKinnon, former chair of the Commons health committee.Nine Greater Toronto ridings were named: Aurora-Oak Ridges held by Liberal MP Leah Taylor Roy, Don Valley North (Independent MP Han Dong), Markham-Stouffville (Helena Jaczek, former public works minister), Markham-Unionville (Liberal MP Paul Chiang), Mississauga-Centre (then-Transport Minister Omar Alghabra), Newmarket-Aurora (Liberal MP Tony Van Bynen) Richmond Hill (Liberal MP Majid Jowhari) Scarborough-Agincourt (Liberal MP Jean Yip) and Willowdale held by Ali Ehsassi, Liberal chair of the foreign affairs committee.Independent MP Han Dong also testified Tuesday and admitted foreign students attending school out of town voted in his 2019 Liberal nomination. Dong dismissed the incident as commonplace though his own campaign manager questioned the eligibility of Chinese teenagers to vote for a candidate.“I didn’t understand it as an irregularity,” Dong testified under summons at the China Inquiry. When asked why he didn’t tell the commission earlier, Dong replied, “I was reminded after.”“To me, international students, I met them, canvassed them, sign up, they show up to vote. To me it’s pretty regular.”“Why did you tell us about it yesterday?” asked Commission counsel. “I was having a conversation with my lawyer,” replied Dong.The inquiry was told Dong’s campaign bussed Chinese foreign students attending a private high school, New Oriental International College Academy of Markham, ON. The Academy is not in Dong’s riding. Students were housed in a residence at Seneca College.MP Dong testified he couldn’t remember details of his 2019 nomination including the busing of New Oriental teenagers. “I forgot exactly,” said Dong.
