MP Han Dong (Don Valley North, Ont.) was barred from any cabinet appointment after being placed under security surveillance, the Commission on Foreign Interference revealed Wednesday. Blacklock's Reporter says despite this, Dong was allowed to run as a Liberal Party candidate in both the 2019 and 2021 elections until media reports in 2023 exposed his connections with Chinese officials."In the discussion following the 2019 election, it was determined Mr. Dong would not be promoted to any parliamentary secretary or ministerial-type role," stated an In Camera Examination Summary based on testimony from political aides. The Prime Minister’s Office expected regular updates on Dong’s case following initial intelligence briefings, according to the summary.While the reasons behind Dong’s continued candidacy were not explained, the summary indicated that there were "back and forth discussions with intelligence services" during that time. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau testified that, while he has the power to revoke a Liberal MP’s candidacy, he did not clarify why Dong was twice approved to run for office."Once someone is an actual MP, a party leader cannot fire an MP," Trudeau explained. "All a party leader can do at the largest level is remove them from their party caucus, have them sit as an independent."Dong resigned from the Liberal caucus in 2023 after Global News reported that he had been in frequent contact with the Chinese Consulate in Toronto. Further investigation confirmed that Trudeau and Liberal Party officials were aware of Dong’s surveillance as early as 2019.During the inquiry, Commission counsel Shantona Chaudhury asked Trudeau what measures he could take when faced with concerns about foreign interference within his own party. Trudeau responded, "There are many, many things I can do… I can simply disallow a candidate from running for a nomination or to be a candidate in my political party."Trudeau also explained that party leaders have various tools at their disposal. "If there is an allegation around inappropriate behaviour or poor judgment… I can decide which committees an individual sits on, whether I give them a critic’s role, a parliamentary secretary’s role, or even a minister’s role." He added that, in some cases, a leader might simply instruct an MP to address concerns, such as being "overly friendly with a particular Consul General."Despite having this authority, Trudeau was not asked during the hearing why he endorsed Dong’s candidacy on two separate occasions.Nando De Luca, counsel for the Conservative Party, questioned Trudeau on his knowledge of any suspicious activity within the Liberal Party. "Are you aware of the names of any Liberal parliamentarians, former parliamentarians or candidates who are at risk of being compromised by foreign interference?" asked De Luca."Yes," Trudeau replied, adding that the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) had identified individuals within the party. When asked specifically about Dong, Trudeau did not provide further comment.
