Liberal MP Han Dong secretly advised Chinese diplomat in 2021 to delay freeing Two Michaels: sources. Beijing favoured the re-election of Trudeau’s Liberals in the 2021 election, the two national security sources informed Global News, citing CSIS reports.
Both sources said Dong allegedly suggested to Han Tao, China’s consul general in Toronto, that if Beijing released the “Two Michaels,” whom China accused of espionage, the Opposition Conservatives would benefit.
Dong also allegedly recommended that Beijing show some progress in the Kovrig and Spavor cases, the two sources said. Such a move would help the ruling Liberal Party, which was facing an uproar over China’s inhumane treatment of Kovrig and Spavor.
Dong, who represents the Toronto-area riding of Don Valley North, was the one to initiate the discussion with the consul general, the two sources said, adding that Dong stipulated at the outset that it was both a personal and a work-related conversation.
https://globalnews.ca/news/9570437/libe ... tid=Zxz2cZ
Liberal MP Han Dong secretly advised Chinese diplomat in 2021 to delay freeing Two Michaels: sources
Re: Liberal MP Han Dong secretly advised Chinese diplomat in 2021 to delay freeing Two Michaels: sources
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Han_Dong_(politician)
On February 24, 2023, Global News reported that its intelligence sources with knowledge of Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) affairs reported that Dong was an alleged "witting affiliate" in China's election interference networks.[15] Sources claim that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and senior Liberal party officials ignored CSIS warnings about Dong, which has been denied by Trudeau.[16]
The same article also claimed that a "Liberal insider" and former Ontario MPP Michael Chan had possibly arranged Tan's ouster in Don Valley North in favour of Dong in advance of the 2019 federal election because the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) was unhappy with Tan. Chan, Dong, and the Chinese embassy denied the accusations, with Dong describing the leaks as "seriously inaccurate". Dong and the Liberal Party also said that his 2019 nomination victory had followed all of the party's rules.[15] According to an anonymous intelligence official and intelligence documents viewed by Global News, CSIS had also been investigating Dong due to an alleged meeting between Dong and a senior official from the CCP's United Front Work Department in New York state.[15]
Dong has stated that he would welcome investigations against himself to clear his name but denies the need for a public inquiry.[17] In response to these allegations, Trudeau has also rejected these allegations as "irresponsible" and a result of anti-Asian racism against Dong.[18] He also stressed that Dong is unquestionably loyal to Canada.[19][20]
In March 2023, he said that he was yet to be contacted by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Elections Canada, or CSIS concerning the allegations, and that he wanted the truth to come out.[21]
On March 22, 2023 additional reporting from Global News, based on two national security sources, said that in February 2021, Dong had reached out to the Chinese consulate in Toronto to discuss the detention of Michael Spavor and Michael Kovrig. According to the sources, Dong said to the Consul-General that their release should be delayed, that their release could benefit the Conservative Party of Canada, and for China to make concessions to Canada in the ongoing detention dispute. In a statement, Dong said that although he had spoken to the Consul-General, he had not initiated it, and he had not suggested delaying the release of the Two Michaels, instead calling for their release. The Prime Minister's Office said it was not aware of the meeting until asked for comment by Global News, and that Dong was not used as a diplomatic backchannel.[22]
On February 24, 2023, Global News reported that its intelligence sources with knowledge of Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) affairs reported that Dong was an alleged "witting affiliate" in China's election interference networks.[15] Sources claim that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and senior Liberal party officials ignored CSIS warnings about Dong, which has been denied by Trudeau.[16]
The same article also claimed that a "Liberal insider" and former Ontario MPP Michael Chan had possibly arranged Tan's ouster in Don Valley North in favour of Dong in advance of the 2019 federal election because the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) was unhappy with Tan. Chan, Dong, and the Chinese embassy denied the accusations, with Dong describing the leaks as "seriously inaccurate". Dong and the Liberal Party also said that his 2019 nomination victory had followed all of the party's rules.[15] According to an anonymous intelligence official and intelligence documents viewed by Global News, CSIS had also been investigating Dong due to an alleged meeting between Dong and a senior official from the CCP's United Front Work Department in New York state.[15]
Dong has stated that he would welcome investigations against himself to clear his name but denies the need for a public inquiry.[17] In response to these allegations, Trudeau has also rejected these allegations as "irresponsible" and a result of anti-Asian racism against Dong.[18] He also stressed that Dong is unquestionably loyal to Canada.[19][20]
In March 2023, he said that he was yet to be contacted by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Elections Canada, or CSIS concerning the allegations, and that he wanted the truth to come out.[21]
On March 22, 2023 additional reporting from Global News, based on two national security sources, said that in February 2021, Dong had reached out to the Chinese consulate in Toronto to discuss the detention of Michael Spavor and Michael Kovrig. According to the sources, Dong said to the Consul-General that their release should be delayed, that their release could benefit the Conservative Party of Canada, and for China to make concessions to Canada in the ongoing detention dispute. In a statement, Dong said that although he had spoken to the Consul-General, he had not initiated it, and he had not suggested delaying the release of the Two Michaels, instead calling for their release. The Prime Minister's Office said it was not aware of the meeting until asked for comment by Global News, and that Dong was not used as a diplomatic backchannel.[22]
