Public Safety Committee on Oct. 5th, 2026

[Adam Hatfield]

The changes made in 2025 didn't change that level of subjectivity, but it did make it clearer. There was always a sense that there was a collective evaluation. Security screening, fundamentally, is a process by which information is gathered about a person from various sources, including the RCMP and CSIS, but other sources as well. All that information then goes on the table, including consideration of the position they are going into and the security requirements of that position. Then a security screening official makes a decision: Is this person trustworthy to be reliable and loyal to Canada? That decision is, by design, made within the context of a specific department and under the authority of that deputy head, because it is that deputy head—

[Anthony Housefather, Liberal, Mount Royal, QC]

I understand all of that. I know the process.

What I'm asking you is this. I understand—this is just my opinion—that the changes made create more of a question of subjectivity because now you have fewer black and whites. You have more qualifiers. You have more instructions that you need to evaluate—for example, foreign risk—on a much wider threshold than you did before in order to prevent somebody who immigrated here from a different country from being subject to discriminatory policies. To me, there's more subjectivity, which would mean even more reason that if the RCMP or CSIS is making a recommendation, somebody should not simply be allowed to subvert that without going to a politically accountable person. I'm asking again.

[Adam Hatfield]

Security screening done well is an enabler of a trusted and, yes, diverse and inclusive workforce that is representative of Canadians and Canadian values.

I think that the number of times a security screening official in a government department would receive a negative evaluation or negative review from CSIS and override that decision, in practice, would be vanishingly small. It would almost certainly prompt a conversation with CSIS to understand what, exactly, was the nature of what was happening. As the minister said, there are over 200,000 screenings a year. The vast majority of those screenings yield employees who are reliable and loyal to Canada.

[Anthony Housefather, Liberal, Mount Royal, QC]

The reliability—

[The Chair, Liberal, Jean-Yves Duclos]

I'm sorry, Mr. Housefather. I'm always very sorry to cut you off.

The minister's team just informed me that he cannot stay beyond 12, so this will be the last round. This chance is for the Conservatives to have that last five minutes.

Let's start with you, MP Lloyd, for five minutes in total.

[Dane Lloyd, Conservative, Parkland, AB]

Thank you for being here, Minister and officials.

Minister, you've had 70 days since this incident became public to learn about the process and what happened. Can you tell this committee if you are aware of the process by which Ms. Zhang received a security clearance?

[Gary Anandasangaree, Liberal, Scarborough—Guildwood—Rouge Park, ON]

I can't get into the specifics of it, Mr. Lloyd, but I am—

[Dane Lloyd, Conservative, Parkland, AB]

I'm not looking for specifics. I'm just asking if you are aware.

[The Chair, Liberal, Jean-Yves Duclos]

MP Lloyd, I'm sorry, but if you want to have time, you need to listen to the minister.

[Gary Anandasangaree, Liberal, Scarborough—Guildwood—Rouge Park, ON]

I have been briefed on the matter, yes.

[Dane Lloyd, Conservative, Parkland, AB]

Do you believe that there were gaps in the process that led to Ms. Zhang getting her security clearance?

[Gary Anandasangaree, Liberal, Scarborough—Guildwood—Rouge Park, ON]

Mr. Lloyd, I think that's a determination that this committee could make. I know that this is also part of the investigation that the Belgian officials are undertaking.

[Dane Lloyd, Conservative, Parkland, AB]

Minister, do you believe that there was a gap in the process that led to Ms. Zhang getting her security clearance?

[Gary Anandasangaree, Liberal, Scarborough—Guildwood—Rouge Park, ON]

Mr. Lloyd, I think in respect of the investigation that's taking place it would be inappropriate for me to be conclusive.

[Dane Lloyd, Conservative, Parkland, AB]

I don't know how.... You know, this is a simple question. It seems pretty obvious to me. Somebody has been suspected and accused of committing crimes and espionage on behalf of a criminal organization, and probably a foreign power, and you can't tell this committee whether or not you think our security screening process failed...?

[Gary Anandasangaree, Liberal, Scarborough—Guildwood—Rouge Park, ON]

What I will say is that we have work to do with respect to our security screening processes. That's why we're here today. That's why all of our agencies are engaged in a review. That's why our Treasury Board, for example, is looking at their policies.

I think it would be unfair to say that we're not responding to this, Mr. Lloyd. We are.

[Dane Lloyd, Conservative, Parkland, AB]

I'm not saying that you're not responding, but you can't solve a problem unless you admit that a problem exists, and you're refusing to admit that there was a gap in our security clearance process.

[Gary Anandasangaree, Liberal, Scarborough—Guildwood—Rouge Park, ON]

That's not—

[Dane Lloyd, Conservative, Parkland, AB]

My next technical question is this: Did the RCMP and CBSA flag concerns to the deputy heads about Ms. Zhang getting a security clearance?

[Gary Anandasangaree, Liberal, Scarborough—Guildwood—Rouge Park, ON]

We should pose that question to them, Mr. Lloyd.

[Dane Lloyd, Conservative, Parkland, AB]

Yes.

[A/Commr Don Halina]

Thank you.

Mr. Chair, I can confirm that we do not provide advice on whether or not to grant the security clearance. What we do provide is the empirical information they're looking for. If it's from a—

[Dane Lloyd, Conservative, Parkland, AB]

Were there concerns provided? Were there concerns raised?

[A/Commr Don Halina]

I can also confirm that I cannot speak to this individual case. I can speak to the Government of Canada's security process and how the RCMP supports that process.

[Dane Lloyd, Conservative, Parkland, AB]

Minister, did Belgian authorities ever raise this investigation before it became public? Did they share any information about this investigation before the charges were laid?