Evidence of meeting #19 for Canada-China Relations in the 43rd Parliament, 2nd session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was vaccine.
A video is available from Parliament.
Liberal
Peter Fragiskatos Liberal London North Centre, ON
We frequently hear concerns about the security of our universities, the scientific work that takes place at our universities and whether that is subject to interference of some type.
How do officials feel about the security of work that is being done by researchers on campus at the present time?
President, Canada Border Services Agency
I'm not sure whom you're directing the question to.
Liberal
Peter Fragiskatos Liberal London North Centre, ON
I am directing it to officials. I think there are overlapping areas here, but perhaps I'll direct it to CSIS to be specific.
Director, Canadian Security Intelligence Service
Thank you, Mr. Fragiskatos.
As I mentioned earlier in my answer to Mr. Paul-Hus, CSIS and also our partners in the national security community are quite involved with universities to provide them with advice.
We are also working closely with them not just on the protection of research, but also on the potential interference on campuses in terms of academic freedom and potential threats that the students coming from abroad may feel from different countries.
We have areas of different threats that we are concerned with on campuses. We are engaging with different levels. Some of it is done bilaterally and some of it is done through committee work.
In a country like Canada where there are advanced universities and cutting-edge research is taking place, this is an area that is very attractive for a number of actors who may have ill intent.
Liberal
Peter Fragiskatos Liberal London North Centre, ON
Is there an appreciation, Mr. Vigneault, on the part of universities that this particular Chinese regime is of an entirely different nature from regimes in the past?
Director, Canadian Security Intelligence Service
I can't speak for all universities, but I can say that this is an ongoing discussion. I can see that we've been having a different dialogue over the last year or two with universities. We are realizing, like everybody else, that there is a new intent in the regime in China.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Geoff Regan
Thank you very much, Mr. Fragiskatos.
Mr. Bergeron, you have the floor for six minutes.
Stéphane Bergeron Bloc Montarville, QC
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Ms. Lucki, do you have the toll-free number that Canadians and Quebeckers can call if they are being pressured by representatives of the Republic of China?
Commr Brenda Lucki
Thank you for that question.
I didn't have the number the last time I was here. It is 1-800-420-5805.
It's displayed on both our public main RCMP page and the national security website. It's actually been fairly effective. We get 120 tips per day, on average. We follow up with all of them.
It's probably noteworthy that we find that as the volume of the tips increases, the threat percentages significantly decline.
Sorry, I just heard somebody asking a question.
Bloc
Stéphane Bergeron Bloc Montarville, QC
I was just saying that I didn't have time to note the number. I'm sorry.
Bloc
Stéphane Bergeron Bloc Montarville, QC
Thank you very much.
During his appearance before the Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration on February 22, the representative of VFS Global stated that there were two parts to the security clearance process for employees subcontracted in Beijing. One part is the responsibility of VFS Global, and the other part is the responsibility of the government of the country with which the contract was signed. In this case, it is Canada.
Ms. Lucki, can you tell us which agency in Canada is responsible for conducting security clearance checks on employees of Beijing Shuangxiong Foreign Service Company, the subcontractor working with VFS Global on visa applications in Beijing?
Commr Brenda Lucki
If the question is directed to me, I cannot speak directly to that company. I can only speak to what we do, from an RCMP point of view, on all contracts. We review them to determine the appropriate level of security of the contracts, and the company and related employees—
Bloc
Stéphane Bergeron Bloc Montarville, QC
I am sorry to interrupt you, Ms. Lucki.
Is your organization responsible for verifying the security clearance of this subcontractor's employees in Beijing? If not you, who is responsible for checking the security clearance?
Bloc
Stéphane Bergeron Bloc Montarville, QC
According to the VFS Global representative, Canada performs a security check. Who performs security checks here?
Commr Brenda Lucki
—the RCMP specifically.
Public Works has an agreement with us, though, to conduct law enforcement record checks in support of their mandate, so we may in fact do some of that on their behalf. But I can't speak specifically to the area you're speaking about.
Bloc
Stéphane Bergeron Bloc Montarville, QC
That's very interesting.
Yet the VFS Global representative told us that part of the security checks were carried out by Canada. In addition, Michèle Larose, a spokesperson for Public Services and Procurement Canada, stated in an article published in The Globe and Mail a few days ago that only VFS Global performed security clearance checks on its subcontractor's personnel, and that the federal government did not do so.
Are we to understand that VFS Global, which is financed by a Chinese investment fund, is the only company that can check the security clearance of employees working on visa issuance in Beijing?
Deputy Minister, Public Safety Canada
Mr. Bergeron, you have raised an important point, but I think it is better that we answer your question in writing.
Bloc
Stéphane Bergeron Bloc Montarville, QC
That's fine.
Mr. Richard Fadden, Mr. Vigneault's predecessor, recently told The Globe and Mail that the fact that there is a Chinese government entity with a link to Immigration Canada suggests that the entry of potential cyber spies could be smooth.
Since my time is running out, I will certainly have the opportunity later on to put the question to Mr. Vigneault.
Mr. Vigneault, this is a scoop: you can prepare yourself accordingly.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Geoff Regan
Thank you very much, Mr. Bergeron.
We'll now go to Mr. Harris for six minutes, please.