Iain Stewart, former president of the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) retired just weeks before cabinet finally disclosed files related to the Winnipeg lab security breach. Stewart was censured in 2021 for concealing federal records documenting Chinese-Canadian spies reporting back to Beijing from the National Microbiology Laboratory in Winnipeg, Blacklock's Reporter reported. He was the first federal manager censured by Parliament since 1891.Documents he attempted to hide from MPs were released Wednesday.The documents, sought by MPs, showed PHAC granted top security clearance to two Chinese-Canadian scientists, Xiangguo Qiu, the head of vaccine research, and her husband Keding Chang, a biologist, at its Winnipeg lab. The two were fired in 2021 on proof they breached security rules, lied to investigators and concealed contacts in China including the People’s Liberation Army (PLA).Qui and Chang “posed a very serious and credible danger to the Government of Canada as a whole and in particular at facilities considered high security due to the potential for theft of dangerous materials attractive to terrorist and foreign entities,” said a newly-disclosed 2020 report called Report On Review For Cause Of Security Status..Stewart was censured on the floor of the House of Commons after defying four separate orders for documents detailing the security breach. “This is not a game,” Conservative MP Gérard Deltell said at the time. “It is about the fundamental and ancient powers of the House of Commons to act as the grand inquest of the nation. This is being openly defied, dismissed and mocked by the Liberal government. It is, in a word, treating the House with contempt.”Stewart refused to tell Cabinet why the scientists were fired, citing worries about “immunity” if he were to disclose the records.“Mr. Stewart, has there ever been a case where any government lab has fired scientists as a result of security breaches?” asked Conservative MP Garnett Genuis“That’s a very difficult question to answer,” replied Stewart.“Well, I’m glad you have a bloody senior office in this country where you’re supposed to account to parliamentarians and the Canadian people,” said Genuis. “Now answer the damn question.”“Why were they let go?” asked Bloc Québécois MP Stéphane Bergeron. “I’m not really at liberty to talk about that, sir,” replied Stewart.“What do you mean, you’re ‘not at liberty’ to talk about that?” said Bergeron. “You’re in a parliamentary committee here.”
Iain Stewart, former president of the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) retired just weeks before cabinet finally disclosed files related to the Winnipeg lab security breach. Stewart was censured in 2021 for concealing federal records documenting Chinese-Canadian spies reporting back to Beijing from the National Microbiology Laboratory in Winnipeg, Blacklock's Reporter reported. He was the first federal manager censured by Parliament since 1891.Documents he attempted to hide from MPs were released Wednesday.The documents, sought by MPs, showed PHAC granted top security clearance to two Chinese-Canadian scientists, Xiangguo Qiu, the head of vaccine research, and her husband Keding Chang, a biologist, at its Winnipeg lab. The two were fired in 2021 on proof they breached security rules, lied to investigators and concealed contacts in China including the People’s Liberation Army (PLA).Qui and Chang “posed a very serious and credible danger to the Government of Canada as a whole and in particular at facilities considered high security due to the potential for theft of dangerous materials attractive to terrorist and foreign entities,” said a newly-disclosed 2020 report called Report On Review For Cause Of Security Status..Stewart was censured on the floor of the House of Commons after defying four separate orders for documents detailing the security breach. “This is not a game,” Conservative MP Gérard Deltell said at the time. “It is about the fundamental and ancient powers of the House of Commons to act as the grand inquest of the nation. This is being openly defied, dismissed and mocked by the Liberal government. It is, in a word, treating the House with contempt.”Stewart refused to tell Cabinet why the scientists were fired, citing worries about “immunity” if he were to disclose the records.“Mr. Stewart, has there ever been a case where any government lab has fired scientists as a result of security breaches?” asked Conservative MP Garnett Genuis“That’s a very difficult question to answer,” replied Stewart.“Well, I’m glad you have a bloody senior office in this country where you’re supposed to account to parliamentarians and the Canadian people,” said Genuis. “Now answer the damn question.”“Why were they let go?” asked Bloc Québécois MP Stéphane Bergeron. “I’m not really at liberty to talk about that, sir,” replied Stewart.“What do you mean, you’re ‘not at liberty’ to talk about that?” said Bergeron. “You’re in a parliamentary committee here.”
