Canadian Defense Minister William Blair demanded from his Chinese counterpart Dong Jun that China not interfere in the Canadian elections.
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“I have expressed concern about foreign interference in all the forms it may take, including interference in our institutions, including elections, as well as acts of collusion against the Chinese diaspora in Canada, our citizens,” Blair said.
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The head of the Canadian Ministry of Defense said that the meeting with Dong Jun took place on the sidelines of the Shangri-La Dialogue security forum in Singapore. Blair also raised concerns about China’s military maneuvers around Taiwan following the January election of his chief of staff.
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Earlier, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said that Beijing is trying to interfere in Canada’s internal affairs with the help of the large diaspora of Canadians of Chinese origin in the country.
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In September 2023, Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc announced a decision to conduct a public inquiry into alleged interference by foreign countries, including China and Russia, in elections and other public processes in Canada. The investigation, led by Quebec judge Marie-Josie Auge, is due to end in December 2024.
