RCMP not investigating possible foreign interference cases related to Chiu, Dong: Duheme

Canada’s federal police force is not investigating any possible instances of foreign interference in the cases of former Conservative MP Kenny Chiu and Liberal-turned-Independent MP Han Dong, RCMP Commissioner Mike Duheme says.

In an interview on CTV News Channel’s Power Play with Vassy Kapelos, Duheme said that “to (his) knowledge,” the RCMP is not looking into those cases, despite the interim report by foreign interference inquiry Commissioner Marie-Josée Hogue last week stating foreign meddling likely impacted outcomes in both Chiu and Dong’s ridings.

“At the time, I think some of it was probably referred to Elections Canada, I'm not 100 per cent sure on that,” Duheme said. “But to my knowledge, we're not investigating those because it wasn't brought to our attention.”

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Hogue’s report stated that while the overall outcome of the 2019 and 2021 federal elections were not impacted, foreign interference did occur in a few ridings, namely those of Chiu and Dong.

According to Hogue’s report, there were “strong indicators of PRC (People's Republic of China) involvement” in Chiu’s electoral race, including disinformation campaigns targeting the former Conservative MP, and “a reasonable possibility” that those could have impacted the result.

In the case of Dong, the now-Independent MP’s nomination race became a major focus of Hogue’s inquiry, after it came to light that Chinese international students — supplied with falsified documents by “individuals associated with a known PRC proxy agent” — had been bused in to participate in the vote.

Hogue’s report details that while Dong’s riding was likely a “safe” Liberal riding, suggesting that possible foreign interference would not have impacted which party won the seat, but meddling during the close nomination race may have decided which candidate went on to become an MP.

Hogue in her 193-page preliminary report stated nomination races — and the extent to which they can be gateways for foreign states looking to interfere in Canadian democracy — will “undoubtedly” be an issue requiring closer examination in the second phase of her work.

Amid heightened attention in Ottawa over foreign meddling, Dong resigned from the Liberal caucus last year after Global News published allegations, which he has denied, related to China's detention of Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor.  

In an interview on CTV’s Question Period last week, Democratic Affairs Minister Dominic LeBlanc told Kapelos the Liberals are waiting until Hogue’s final report has been released to make a decision on whether Dong will rejoin caucus.

With files from CTVNews.ca’s Senior Digital Parliamentary Reporter Rachel Aiello