Evidence of meeting #8 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 china.
A video is available from Parliament.
Former Ambassador of Canada to the People's Republic of China, As an Individual
I believe that's what I was referring to earlier, when they go and make threats to Chinese people about family back home and things of that kind. Is that right?
NDP
Jack Harris NDP St. John's East, NL
That would be in an effort to get them to come back to China, but they had no extradition treaty with China. Do you know why the RCMP would be involved in that? Would that be something that would work through the Canadian embassy?
Former Ambassador of Canada to the People's Republic of China, As an Individual
The RCMP would certainly not be involved in putting pressure on illegally getting people to go back to China or making threats against them. On the other hand, Canada does not want to be a haven for criminals, so if there were cases.... We don't have an extradition treaty, but there were some people we did extradite, or that the RCMP did. But it would have to go through the courts. It would have to be fully legal. It would have to be genuine and there would have to be assurances given by China, certainly on the death penalty and probably on other things.
It's not as if we had no contact with the Chinese in terms of serious crimes. We did, but we would not have been involved in threats made to Chinese about their families and this kind of thing.
NDP
Jack Harris NDP St. John's East, NL
A report was tabled last March in the House of Commons by the National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians, which we discussed yesterday at the public safety committee. It talked about this Operation Fox Hunt that had been going on for several years. The situation changed at a certain point.
Were you involved in any of that issue at all as to what was actually going on? Was there a diplomatic decision about this happening that you're aware of?
Former Ambassador of Canada to the People's Republic of China, As an Individual
I don't remember that. What I do remember is that the RCMP would work with the Chinese on what they regarded as legitimate serious crime, and they would be partners in trying to solve that crime, but at the same time, the Canadian government would try to prohibit inappropriate pressures put on Chinese in Canada to come back to China.
NDP
Jack Harris NDP St. John's East, NL
Are you suggesting that the only filter for people coming into Canada to carry out this type of work or any other potentially intimidatory or coercive influence would be your visa work?
Former Ambassador of Canada to the People's Republic of China, As an Individual
It's an imperfect process. I'm sure some of those people did get through, but we do our best to stop it when we know about it. The inspection of visa applications is one approach. Perhaps there are others as well.
Former Ambassador of Canada to the People's Republic of China, As an Individual
The information from various agencies goes into decisions on visas. It's not just the embassies.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Geoff Regan
Thank you very much.
On behalf of the committee, I would like to thank both former ambassadors. I know that we all very much appreciate your testimony today.
It's certainly good to meet you, Mr. Wright, and good to see you, Mr. McCallum.
That concludes the first part of our meeting.
We will suspend and move in camera to discuss committee business.
[Proceedings continue in camera]