Procedure and House Affairs committee  One of the reasons I wanted to come today was to talk about China, because I noticed that discussion on where China fits in. People focus on Russia and other threats, and they are all threats. However, China is categorically different, and we need to understand that. I was readi

Procedure and House Affairs committee  I believe that China picks the path of least resistance. Right now, when you look at the Five Eyes in particular, that's Canada. New Zealand isn't much further ahead, but we're not New Zealand. We're a more attractive target than New Zealand. I think if you looked at the United

Procedure and House Affairs committee  It is growing. The allegations are what concerned me about the Global News report. I know that they're working on elaborating the details. The scope, if it is indeed 11 ridings just in the GTA, would be formidable and ambitious in any country. That growth and ambition and possib

Procedure and House Affairs committee  Thank you. I've travelled to Ottawa today because I believe the topic under discussion, PRC interference in our elections, is an increasingly serious problem and a key component of a broader campaign that threatens our sovereignty and the safety of our citizens. I worry that we

National Defence committee  I couldn't agree more. If we were to get to what I would refer to as a real foreign policy, we would agree that we have to make tough decisions. We think about where the greatest risks to our sovereignty and to our national security are and I think they are now coming from the Pa

National Defence committee  That's not my area. I focus on Asia, but I think it's becoming more virtual than actual. What we need to do, and I see this more from a Canadian perspective, is see a realignment of our resources, including our navy, and continued realignment to the Pacific, acknowledging that th

National Defence committee  Just as an update, I am no longer at St. Michael's College, and I can only say that my time in the university sector has increased my respect for government as an organized institution. We're seeing, in China's activation of its espionage capabilities, how multi-faceted it is, h

National Defence committee  About those other tasks, I'll say they're not purely altruistic. If Taiwan were to fall to China, the security picture in east Asia would change overnight. We'd see the U.S. have to pull back and we might see a nuclear-armed Japan as a result. The reverberations would be felt in

National Defence committee  On the Taiwan scenario, what would happen first is a global reaction that would cripple the global economy. China would do that if it felt it was in danger of losing Taiwan. There would be immense economic chaos. Also, China thinks in terms of island chains. It would push the U

National Defence committee  I'd like to jump in at the end with one comment on the Arctic. As to my comment about flattering first, I remember a meeting of the Arctic Council a couple of years ago, where the Canadian minister present told the Chinese that he warmly welcomed their interest and presence in

National Defence committee  Sure. I felt a sense of nostalgia as Mr. Perry was answering that question, because I remember seeing HMCS Regina, then one of our new Canadian patrol frigates, make its maiden voyage to Hong Kong, and I organized its program in Malaysia with the Royal Malaysian Navy. Our rhe

National Defence committee  One obvious thing we should do is to adopt a policy where our initial approach doesn't necessarily involve flattery. I watched with dismay as Canadian officials were speaking about China's pandemic response in the early days and flattering China at a time when we didn't even have

National Defence committee  The commissioner sounded rather passive, as if she had not been briefed on this, when she spoke about it recently. If we don't have the capacity, we should darn well add it, because the responsibility of the RCMP includes the safety of Canadians, and if they can't do it, we shoul

National Defence committee  Well, one, obviously, is trade and economic development. Taiwan is a tough negotiator, but there are lots of opportunities. When I was there we had a very vibrant cultural program. We had artists coming from across Canada sharing Canadian ideas with a very big program on indigeno

National Defence committee  I couldn't agree more. In fact, I would advocate that we create a China school for senior public servants and for members and rising stars in the Canadian Forces, with a longer-term track focusing on language and culture and a shorter-term track for a variety of people, where we