The RCMP has denied accusations that it downplayed its handling of Chinese Communist Party-operated “police stations” allegedly used to intimidate Chinese Canadians. Blacklock's Reporter says this comes after the Commission on Foreign Interference raised concerns about why the Mounties appeared to take a more "diplomatic" approach instead of treating the issue as a crime.According to a Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) memo revealed at the Commission, these stations were set up by the People's Republic of China to monitor and collect intelligence on Chinese residents in Canada as part of a broader effort to repress and repatriate dissidents. "CSIS assessed that these stations were in part created to 'collect intelligence and monitor former People’s Republic of China residents living in Canada,'" the memo stated.Despite confirming the existence of these stations, RCMP Deputy Commissioner Mark Flynn did not disclose how long they had been operating in Canada. He defended the Mounties' actions in an In Camera Examination Summary, explaining that the RCMP wanted to highlight the problem to support investigation efforts and build trust with the affected communities. "The RCMP sent uniformed officers to neighbourhoods in which suspected Chinese Overseas Police Stations were operating,” Flynn said.Counsel Neil Chantler, representing the Chinese Canadian Concern Group, questioned why the RCMP had not made any arrests despite being aware of the police stations.“Were these Overseas Police Stations already on the RCMP’s radar?” he asked. Flynn declined to provide specifics, citing the ongoing investigation.Chantler pressed further, questioning why the Mounties took a "diplomatic" approach in handling the issue compared to how other organized crime activities, such as drug labs or Hells Angels operations, might be treated. "Why were these Overseas Chinese Police Stations handled with such diplomacy?” asked Chantler.Flynn rejected the suggestion that the RCMP's approach was diplomatic. “I disagree with the context of your question in referencing this as being diplomatic,” he said. "This is a law enforcement investigation into a very serious matter that is impacting the Chinese community in Canada.”Although the Chinese Embassy claimed to have closed all its police stations in Canada by 2022, reports indicate some continued to function into 2023 as "liaison stations." Despite ongoing investigations, no arrests have been made, and no diplomatic credentials have been revoked.The Commons Special Committee on Canada-China Relations, in a report last November, confirmed the presence of Chinese “police stations” in cities such as Vancouver, Toronto, and Montreal, which were used to spy on Canadian residents.
