Michael Chong as the US’ point man for Canada-China policy
Written by: Truth Bomb Media
In the political sphere, Canadian civic education emphasizes placing trust in our elected officials, anticipating that they will prioritize the collective good, embody unyielding integrity, and advocate for transparency. Foremost, the welfare of our nation should be their guiding concern.
However, the embodiment of this ideal is not always observed, even in reputed ‘liberal democracies’ like Canada. Take, for instance, Conservative MP Michael Chong of Wellington-Halton Hills, Ontario.
While his tenure since 2004 includes distinguished roles such as Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs and a member of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada, there are signs that he represents the section of Canadian capital which has gone all in on continental integration with the United States since Brian Mulroney became Canadian Prime Minister in 1984, to allow Canadian imperialism to tack along tightly to the US, getting maximum opportunities for economic exploitation abroad along the way, without a care for how Canadians would be hurt by servility to the U.S.
Chong's political trajectory is marked by a strong position against China. Although half-Chinese and Canadian-born, Chong has been openly critical of his late father’s homeland. In 2021, he initiated a parliamentary motion addressing baseless concerns over China's treatment of its Uygur Muslim minority. This offensive and critical move which came after a CIA-front funded group drove a subcommittee report claiming a Uygur genocide, leading to sanctions against Chong. In May, these sanctions, preventing his travel to China, were resurfaced and presented as "harassment" and "targeting" by CSIS and reported as such in The Globe and Mail.
Michael Chong's claims and the media reports associated with an anonymous CSIS leak, have been marked by inconsistency and a lack of coherence. Initially, Chong is said to have learned about his situation through an article in the Globe & Mail , portraying it as an alarming sign of dysfunction within the national security and intelligence system.
He pointed to inadequate mechanisms for sharing information with legislators. However, in the midst of this evolving narrative, a central concern arises due to the absence of concrete evidence supporting Chong's statements. Both he and intelligence officials have alleged that he, along with "his family," became targets of Chinese diplomat Zhao Wei due to his views on China. However, these allegations remain largely unsubstantiated and lack consistency along with logical explanations in their presentation.
Furthermore, despite Chong's assertions of having informed CSIS about the alleged harassment on three separate occasions, there has been no public substantiation that these visits took place, no emails referencing the appointments, or incident reports. The only consistency is Chong's desire to blame the Chinese government. This tendency extends to his stance on legislation such as the oppressive Foreign Transparency Registry, where he aggressively asserts his claims as established fact.
Nonetheless, in a surprising response to these allegations, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau emphasized the importance of being aware of any threats, regardless of their perceived credibility. He mandated CSIS to inform him of potential risks to MPs or their families, irrespective of the agency's assessment of the intelligence. This wasn’t sufficient for Chong:
"Why is this diplomat still here? A diplomat who has more rights and immunities than the Canadians around this table to go around and conduct his foreign interference threat activities. He has diplomatic immunity. He cannot be criminally prosecuted."
Shortly after, Melanie Joly announced on Twitter that Zhao Wei was deemed 'persona non grata', emphasizing that Canada “would not stand for any foreign meddling in its domestic matters.” This statement came as Canadian Navy ships participated in US-led exercises in the South China Sea, enhancing their combat readiness against China.
As expected, the Chinese embassy has categorically denied these allegations. They slam Chong, accusing him of further projecting his own interference and cautioning about potential "serious consequences" should such narratives continue. The Chinese embassy in Canada has called upon Canada to adopt a more "balanced and impartial" stance towards China, urging a diminished emphasis on showing allegiance to the U.S. Yet, Chong's tendency to side with American policies isn't recent; it has been a hallmark of his political identity for years.
Chong’s American love affair
As an MP, Michael Chong has frequently intensified and worsened relations between Canada and China. In 2018, after Huawei declined the U.S. requests for user data access, it was banned from operating in the US. This was soon followed by the American-directed arrest of Huawei CFO Meng Wanzhou due to allegations of violating “Iranian sanctions”. The ensuing three-year detention of Meng, combined with the U.S.' absence of clear direction and Canada's diplomatic errors, resulted in China detaining two Canadians who were spies, on allegations of espionage.
In 2018, Chong lauded the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), the successor to the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), describing it as “beneficial for Canadian workers, businesses, and consumers”. Notably, the USMCA contains a provision, often termed the "poison pill" clause, which grants the US the authority to dissolve the entire deal if Canada negotiates a free-trade agreement with a "non-market" economy, such as China.
His proclivity for supporting and aligning with many of these American initiatives that are reminiscent of the stringent measures he claims China is pursuing. For example, Chong has been a vocal supporter of measures like the TikTok ban in Canada, banning Chinese broadcasting and the use of Huawei technology, broadening the capabilities of intelligence agencies, and backing legislative efforts such as the Restrict Act and the more recent Foreign Transparency Registry.
These pieces of legislation notably widen the scope of intelligence agencies’ capabilities, affording them extensive latitude in their investigations.
Moreover, Chong's persistent advocacy for bolstered trade relations and closer economic ties with the U.S. seems to position Canada directly within the ambit of the U.S.-China rivalry.
On August 31, it was confirmed that Chong would testify before the “bipartisan” Congressional Executive Commission on China regarding its investigation into "countering China’s global transnational repression campaign." He was invited to discuss his personal encounters with “Beijing's foreign interference” before U.S. senators, House representatives, and administration officials from both major parties. Their focus was on the "Transnational Repression Policy Act", which claims to “confront foreign governments and individuals who engage in cross-border harassment, even within U.S. borders”. Many well known Chinahawks were in attendance.
Prior to his testimony, Chong shared with reporters that his primary aim was to narrate personal experiences and those of members of the Chinese diaspora in Canada, whom he believes are frequently subjected to intimidation and, in contrast to him, often “bear their struggles silently.”
Chong said: “I’m going to highlight not just what happened to me, but also the numerous incidences of transnational repression we’ve seen directed by the People’s Republic of China toward pro-Hong Kong democracy activists, human rights activists, people speaking out defending the rights of Tibetans, Uyghurs and other minorities in Canada.”
When an article appeared on WeChat, a Chinese platform, disputing the nonsensical allegations of targeted harassment, claiming that Chong’s relatives said they hadn’t been in touch with Chong for 30 years, Canada doubled down. Global Affairs Canada responded by stating, "A Canadian foreign interference monitoring system has identified an 'information operation' aimed at Chong. This is believed to be a segment of a broader disinformation effort by the Chinese Communist Party." Chong has since recommended banning WeChat, remarking, "Over a million people have seen this, and this app enables China to weaponize their language."
Even more jarring were the responses from the members of the Congressional Executive Commission on China, who were so overtly tainted with prejudice and racism that one wonders about the origins of such deep-seated animosity. At one point US Senator Dan Sullivan stated:
“Don't you think we should be going on offense, covertly overtly, you want to mess with us? Okay, will mess with you and maybe we'll bring your leadership down. Don't you think we should be doing that?”
The absurdity of these assertions would make most people flee in disbelief. Yet, for. Chong, they resonated.
”That's a valid point you've raised, Senator. It reminds me of the era before the internet and modern communication tools, when shortwave radio was a lifeline for those in authoritarian regimes, ensuring they heard real news rather than state propaganda”.
Chong, agreeing with these sentiments, pivoted the conversation towards security and trade. Panelists displayed significant interest in accessing Canada's Germanium, a material used in weapons manufacturing, mined by a company called TECK, which is a major funder for several Canadian anti-China think tanks. Discussions also touched upon the TransCanada pipeline, asking Chong how important it was for Canadians to establish a solution.
Chong championed the idea of a cohesive international response against "oppression" and proposed additional measures like "bolstering anti-money laundering procedures" and addressing online misinformation. These proposals were ridiculous , given the lack of concrete evidence backing these "risks".
Chong has a long history of endorsing policies that impede Canadians' civil rights or disrupt trade ties with China, escalating costs for Canadians. These positions often hinge on uncorroborated allegations of outrageous claims of external meddling. At one point during the hearing, he declared that Canada should work with the United States to stop products like tomatoes which he alleges were obtained through slave labor, getting a backdoor into the country. This is based on absolutely false, slanderous claims.
Chong appears to act as the willing pointman of the U.S. empire’s agenda advocating for legislative changes that primarily serve American goals, with Canadian hope of getting the best of the remaining pickings. Given the unfounded nature of the accusations presented in formal venues such as before congress committees or the House of Commons, these actions are technically considered foreign interference by both Canadian and U.S. standards, as defined by Homeland Security and the Canadian government. But since the Canadian government considers this ‘help’ from an ally, it’s not foreign interference in their eyes.
It’s worth noting that several congress members on the committee are senior fellows of The Atlantic Council, a shady think tank composed of warmongers, funded by the military-industrial complex. Senator Sullivan has previously criticized Canada's defense spending, while his electoral campaign enjoyed funding from The Atlantic Council. NATO spending has also been a regular endorsement of Chong’s unsurprisingly, because Mr. Chong too, has participated in collaborations with Atlantic Council’s Global China Hub and Europe Center when it held an in-person and virtual conversation with Nathan Law, “Hong Kong activist” and former LegCo legislator. Law is widely known in the Chinese community for working for the United States to slander China.
The Atlantic Council and its affiliate Crowdstrike has previously been embroiled in controversies, such as the Russiagate hoax that orchestrated false claims of Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. elections. Crowdstrike has been featured in the Globe and Mail on multiple occasions endorsing investment and stock purchases, and Atlantic Council publications are regularly featured in the Globe and Mail, the origin of the Chong Saga.
Michael Chong is steadfastly focused on championing the U.S.’ agenda, in service of a rabidly pro-American section of Canadian capital which hitches itself to the American ship, even if this hurts ordinary Canadians. The irony is palpable: Chong vocally warns against foreign interference and its associated dangers, yet he chooses to becomes an instrument of readily allowed U.S. foreign influence, ironically mirroring the accusations directed towards Chinese entities.
Editor’s note: The Canada Files is the country's only news outlet focused on Canadian foreign policy. We've provided critical investigations & hard-hitting analysis on Canadian foreign policy since 2019, and need your support.
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