Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree declined to say whether China operates under the rule of law when pressed by MPs over a controversial RCMP cooperation agreement with Chinese police, repeatedly insisting he was “not an expert on China.”Blacklock's Reporter says appearing before the Commons procedure and House affairs committee, Anandasangaree faced sharp questioning about the scope and implications of a policing arrangement announced by Prime Minister Mark Carney during a January 16 visit to Beijing.“I’m not here as a foreign policy expert,” Anandasangaree said when asked directly whether China could be considered a country governed by laws. “Nor am I an expert on China.”Carney used his Beijing visit to unveil what his office described as a “new Canada-China relationship,” including “pragmatic and constructive engagement in public safety and security.” No legal text of the agreement has been released.At the time, the Prime Minister’s Office said the deal would see law enforcement agencies “increase cooperation to better combat narcotics trafficking, transnational and cyber crime, synthetic drugs and money laundering.”Conservative MP Michael Cooper, of St. Albert–Sturgeon River, questioned how cooperation with Beijing could occur without risking intimidation or surveillance of Canadians, particularly members of diaspora communities.“What assurance can you provide that cooperation with Beijing will not lead to facilitating intimidation, coercion or surveillance of Canadians, particularly members of diaspora communities who are being targeted by Beijing, under the guise of law enforcement?” Cooper asked..Anandasangaree replied that the memorandum of understanding involving the RCMP was significant, pointing to shared concerns such as fentanyl trafficking.“Issues around fentanyl, for example, are something of great interest to Canada,” he said.Cooper pushed back, citing Beijing’s record of transnational repression.“The Beijing-based Communist regime has engaged in transnational repression, targeting members of Chinese diaspora communities in Canada,” he said. “It has surveilled, harassed and intimidated members of these communities, showing no respect for Canada’s sovereignty.”Given that record, Cooper asked how the Prime Minister could believe cooperation with Chinese police was in Canada’s interest.“We are living in times that are unprecedented where Canada needs to broaden its relationships,” Anandasangaree replied.The exchange escalated when Cooper asked a series of direct questions about China’s legal system and human rights record.“Is the People’s Republic of China a rule of law state?” Cooper asked.Anandasangaree deflected, referencing trade diversification before again saying he was not an expert on China.Cooper pressed further, asking whether China has an independent judiciary, civilian oversight of police, and respect for human rights. Anandasangaree continued to pivot toward trade and economic relationships.“I didn’t ask you a question about trading partners, I asked you about cooperation with law enforcement,” Cooper said..Committee chair attempted to intervene, noting the seriousness of the issue, but Cooper continued.“Does Beijing respect human rights, yes or no?” he asked.Anandasangaree replied that Canada was at a crossroads and needed to expand trading relationships while also protecting its interests.Cooper accused the government of downplaying abuses by the Chinese Communist regime.“They don’t respect human rights,” he said. “They are actively perpetrating genocide among other crimes against humanity, and the fact the Minister couldn’t answer no to all of those questions illustrates the degree to which this government under this Prime Minister is willing to whitewash serious interference and human rights abuses.”Concerns about China’s role in Canadian policing have intensified since the RCMP admitted in 2024 it had purchased Chinese-made surveillance cameras banned in the United States as a security risk. The cameras were manufactured by state-run Hangzhou Hikvision Digital Technology Company Ltd., a firm blacklisted by the U.S. Federal Communications Commission in 2022.According to an Inquiry of Ministry tabled in the Commons, the cameras were intended for use at RCMP national headquarters and offices in Alberta and Yukon, but were ultimately not deployed.
