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Cake day: July 2nd, 2023

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  • Has China ever threatened Canada or its sovereignty?

    Yes, Canada’s security and intelligence agencies have concluded that China has threatened Canada and its sovereignty through various activities, including foreign election interference and transnational repression.

    Key instances and forms of these threats include:

    Election Interference: A Canadian public inquiry found that China interfered in the 2019 and 2021 federal elections through disinformation campaigns, undisclosed donations to preferred candidates, and other tactics, with the goal of influencing the political landscape.

    Transnational Repression: The Chinese government has targeted critics, dissidents, and the broader Chinese community in Canada with surveillance, threats, and smear campaigns, often using individuals’ families in China as leverage.

    Intimidation of Politicians: Canadian politicians, notably Conservative MP Michael Chong, were targeted by Chinese interference campaigns and subject to intimidation for their criticism of the Chinese government’s human rights record.

    Arbitrary Detention: The detention of Canadian citizens Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor (known as “the two Michaels”) in China following Canada’s arrest of Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou was widely seen as a use of arbitrary detention for political leverage to pressure Canada. Arctic Ambitions: The Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) and NATO officials have warned that China’s interest and activities in the Canadian Arctic pose a direct threat to the nation’s sovereignty in the region.

    Cyber Threats: The Communications Security Establishment (CSE) has identified state-sponsored Chinese cyber programs as the greatest strategic cyber threat to Canada, targeting critical infrastructure and intellectual property in key sectors like artificial intelligence and biopharma.

    Canadian officials have consistently stated that such activities constitute a threat to national security and sovereignty and “will not be tolerated”.