Prime Minister Justin Trudeau kept Han Dong in the Liberal caucus despite his office being notified in 2019 the MP, of Don Valley North, ON, was under security surveillance, according to Blacklock’s Reporter. Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) records show Dong won the nomination after bussing in Chinese foreign students from the New Oriental International College Academy of Markham, ON — which is located outside his riding. Despite the records, Trudeau’s chief of staff Katie Telford in 2023 denied ever hearing anything on the matter. A brief entitled Foreign Interference In the 2019 Federal Campaign Of Han Dong was disclosed at the Commission on Foreign interference Tuesday.“It was alleged the People’s Republic of China (PRC) interfered in the Don Valley North Liberal nomination of September 12, 2019,” said the top secret National Security Brief dated October 1, 2019.“The allegations are consistent with our current understanding of PRC foreign interference activity in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA).”The memo was sent to Trudeau’s national security advisor, Clerk of the Privy Council, the RCMP, deputy ministers of foreign affairs, justice and public safety and others. No action was taken. Dong remained a Liberal caucus member until he resigned March 22, 2023. Global News at the time reported he was in frequent contact with the Chinese Consul in Toronto. He now sits as an independent MP. The Don Valley North nomination remains under investigation by the Elections Commissioner.“PRC interference in the GTA likely relies on a densely connected network of China-linked individuals working to advance PRC interests through Canadian democratic institutions by overt and covert means,” wrote CSIS. “This interference network is centred on four professional communities: political candidates, party staffers including campaign officials, local Chinese-Canadian community members and People’s Republic of China officials.”“Individuals leverage their overt positions within their respective communities in loose coordination with one another to clandestinely advance a China agenda in Canada’s democratic institutions.”Sworn statements at the China inquiry confirmed security experts also organized a 2022 meeting “to discuss intelligence regarding Han Dong.” Jeremy Broadhurst, a 2019 Liberal Party national campaign director, testified at the China inquiry that he spoke to Trudeau about security warnings concerning Dong only days after the nomination meeting. “I determined this was something that did need to be brought to the attention of the prime minister,” he said.“Why did you consider it necessary to brief the prime minister on this?” asked Shantona Chaudhury, Commission counsel. “We were being presented with information from intelligence reporting that suggested there could have been irregularities,” replied Broadhurst.Telford denied questions regarding Dong were ever raised with political aides. “I was never involved in a conversation on the subject,” Telford testified April 14, 2023 at the House Affairs Committee.“If it was ever brought to the prime minister’s attention that there was something being missed, we would have acted on it,” said Telford.“I would have ensured he knew about it and I know he would have acted on it.”“Did you recommend to the prime minister against removing the candidate from Don Valley North?” asked Conservative MP Michael Barrett.“I am not quite sure what is being referred to,” replied Telford.“I was not privy to a conversation. I don’t have an answer for you on this because there was no conversation I was part of on this subject.”
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau kept Han Dong in the Liberal caucus despite his office being notified in 2019 the MP, of Don Valley North, ON, was under security surveillance, according to Blacklock’s Reporter. Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) records show Dong won the nomination after bussing in Chinese foreign students from the New Oriental International College Academy of Markham, ON — which is located outside his riding. Despite the records, Trudeau’s chief of staff Katie Telford in 2023 denied ever hearing anything on the matter. A brief entitled Foreign Interference In the 2019 Federal Campaign Of Han Dong was disclosed at the Commission on Foreign interference Tuesday.“It was alleged the People’s Republic of China (PRC) interfered in the Don Valley North Liberal nomination of September 12, 2019,” said the top secret National Security Brief dated October 1, 2019.“The allegations are consistent with our current understanding of PRC foreign interference activity in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA).”The memo was sent to Trudeau’s national security advisor, Clerk of the Privy Council, the RCMP, deputy ministers of foreign affairs, justice and public safety and others. No action was taken. Dong remained a Liberal caucus member until he resigned March 22, 2023. Global News at the time reported he was in frequent contact with the Chinese Consul in Toronto. He now sits as an independent MP. The Don Valley North nomination remains under investigation by the Elections Commissioner.“PRC interference in the GTA likely relies on a densely connected network of China-linked individuals working to advance PRC interests through Canadian democratic institutions by overt and covert means,” wrote CSIS. “This interference network is centred on four professional communities: political candidates, party staffers including campaign officials, local Chinese-Canadian community members and People’s Republic of China officials.”“Individuals leverage their overt positions within their respective communities in loose coordination with one another to clandestinely advance a China agenda in Canada’s democratic institutions.”Sworn statements at the China inquiry confirmed security experts also organized a 2022 meeting “to discuss intelligence regarding Han Dong.” Jeremy Broadhurst, a 2019 Liberal Party national campaign director, testified at the China inquiry that he spoke to Trudeau about security warnings concerning Dong only days after the nomination meeting. “I determined this was something that did need to be brought to the attention of the prime minister,” he said.“Why did you consider it necessary to brief the prime minister on this?” asked Shantona Chaudhury, Commission counsel. “We were being presented with information from intelligence reporting that suggested there could have been irregularities,” replied Broadhurst.Telford denied questions regarding Dong were ever raised with political aides. “I was never involved in a conversation on the subject,” Telford testified April 14, 2023 at the House Affairs Committee.“If it was ever brought to the prime minister’s attention that there was something being missed, we would have acted on it,” said Telford.“I would have ensured he knew about it and I know he would have acted on it.”“Did you recommend to the prime minister against removing the candidate from Don Valley North?” asked Conservative MP Michael Barrett.“I am not quite sure what is being referred to,” replied Telford.“I was not privy to a conversation. I don’t have an answer for you on this because there was no conversation I was part of on this subject.”
