Thanks, Mr. Chair.
Hi, Mr. McGuinty. It's nice to see you again on this committee now.
Certainly, as you have pointed out in your comments today, as well as in the the 2020 NSICOP report, “[t]he threat from espionage and foreign interference is significant and continues to grow” and “China and Russia remain the primary culprits” and “the most significant long-term threats to Canada's sovereignty and prosperity.”
I guess I noted, though, that the 2018 NSICOP annual report also said:
China is known globally for its efforts to influence Chinese communities and the politics of other countries. The Chinese government has a number of official organizations that try to influence Chinese communities and politicians to adopt pro-China positions....
It cites wealthy Chinese businessmen, Chinese students, mobilized diaspora populations, political donations, demonstrations, and influencing Chinese language media. Certainly, Canadians are hearing more and more about the implicit, explicit and multi-layered threats to academia, to the political sphere, to research and technology, to science and to the scientific sectors.
I guess it's fair, I think you would say, for us to draw a conclusion that it's evident that threats to Canadians from China's Communist regime have continued to grow and to evolve.
Could you, for all of us, just highlight the highest priority measures that the government should implement to combat foreign interference from China and to protect the safety and security of Canadians? Even on the example of Operation Fox Hunt, you probably know that I have asked multiple questions about this issue. The United States has made several arrests, yet still in Canada, neither officials nor Canadian elected representatives can say that any of that is happening.
What are the highest priority things that the government should implement right now to protect Canadians?