Conservative MPs are demanding parliamentary hearings after newly released records showed Canadian Armed Forces personnel trained alongside members of China’s People’s Liberation Army during a multinational military exercise in Mongolia in 2023.James Bezan, Conservative defence critic and vice-chair of the Commons defence committee, said the Opposition will seek hearings when Parliament returns from its 13-week summer recess. Blacklock's Reporter said the Conservatives want Defence Minister David McGuinty and military officials questioned over the training.“Canadians deserve answers,” Bezan said.Three Canadian Armed Forces personnel participated in Exercise Khaan Quest in Mongolia from June 19 to July 2, 2023. The multinational exercise was focused on peacekeeping and included forces from more than 20 countries, including China, the United States, Japan, India, Australia and Canada.China's military publicly confirmed at the time that People's Liberation Army troops would participate in Khaan Quest 2023.According to government records first reported by Blacklock’s Reporter, a June 16, 2023 draft media response said three Canadian specialists were involved in the exercise.One Canadian Armed Forces member participated in a command-post exercise involving simulated forces, command staff and communications between headquarters. Two specialists in countering improvised explosive devices participated in field exercises and provided training and mentoring to participants.The documents also show defence officials debated how to publicly describe the involvement of Canadian personnel with Chinese troops.One proposed response said there was no confirmation Canadian personnel would directly train members of the People's Liberation Army.Canadian military officials objected to the wording.“That is not true,” one officer wrote. “We know we will be training.”.Another internal comment said the reference to there being no confirmation of training was removed because officials knew Canadian personnel would be providing training and had received approval from the minister of national defence.Anita Anand was defence minister at the time. She is now foreign affairs minister.“This is extremely disturbing given the People’s Liberation Army track record of threatening neighbours like Taiwan and oppressing its own people at home,” Bezan said.Bezan also criticized the government over China's alleged interference activities in Canada and Ottawa's recent resumption of formal defence talks with Beijing.The controversy follows earlier concerns within National Defence about military cooperation with China.In 2021 testimony before a Commons committee, then-deputy defence minister Jody Thomas confirmed a planned winter training exercise involving Chinese troops had been cancelled. She told MPs that transferring military knowledge to a country that is not an ally could present a risk.The federal government has also previously expressed concern about reports that former Canadian military pilots were being recruited to train People's Liberation Army pilots.Bezan said Conservatives will use the Commons defence committee to seek further details about the 2023 exercise and Canada's current military relationship with Beijing.The Department of National Defence had not publicly provided a detailed response to the latest Conservative demands as of Tuesday.
