X-ray scanners installed at National Microbiology Laboratory after security lapses

Canada’s National Microbiology Laboratory has finally installed X-ray scanners, six years after suspected Chinese spies were discovered working at the Winnipeg facility, according to a Department of Health briefing note. Blacklock's Reporter says the note also mentioned the implementation of a rule prohibiting visitors from wandering the halls without a security escort.“Concerns have been raised regarding security,” stated the June 19 note. The health department “invested significant time and attention to ensure research and science are conducted with strict security compliance,” it added.“Examples of some of the security changes include but are not limited to implementing new X-ray protocols at the entry to the facility,” said the note. Security guards must “escort visitors at all times.” Additionally, all shipments in and out of the facility are now logged after investigators found one biologist took shipments of lab proteins from China labeled as “kitchen utensils.”Xiangguo Qiu, head of vaccine research, and her husband Keding Cheng, a biologist, were granted security clearance at the Laboratory. The couple were cited for suspicious conduct in August 2018 but retained access to the Lab until July 2019.Qiu and Cheng were finally suspended without pay and then fired in January 2021. The couple are now believed to have fled to China.MPs on the Commons Special Committee on Canada-China Relations have been investigating why Lab security was lax. “It’s always easy to look at what happened in the past with a retrospective lens and then see how easy it was,” testified Nathalie Drouin, deputy Privy Council clerk, on April 30. “From the first signal to the moment the two scientists were put on leave, yes, there is a timeline that needs to be looked at.”“We can always say things could have been faster,” testified Deputy Drouin. “However at the beginning it was not even clear it was a national security issue. It was more lax administrative procedure. Like, it took some time.”Evidence showed the two scientists maintained secret contacts with the Chinese People’s Liberation Army bioweapons program. The couple 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,” according to a 2020 Canadian Security Intelligence Service memo.Health Minister Mark Holland, in April 9 testimony, said the espionage case was treated as a human resources matter. “We have due process,” said Holland.“If you are making an accusation against somebody and these people’s careers rightfully are destroyed, before you destroy somebody’s career they are entitled to due process,” said Holland. “Due process is important in this country.”“These were employees who were long term employees, 2003 and 2006,” said Holland. “I mean, these are Canadian citizens, eminent scientists,” said Holland. “Eminent scientists or eminent spies?” asked Conservative MP Michael Cooper (St. Albert-Edmonton). Holland did not reply.