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Rights Group Urges Inquiry to Recommend Deporting Perpetrators of Foreign Interference

A human rights coalition says the Hogue Commission should recommend that the federal government use existing immigration laws to deport perpetrators of foreign interference.
The coalition, representing diaspora communities primarily from China, including Falun Gong practitioners, Hongkongers, Uyghurs, and Tibetans, submitted its report following the final round of inquiry hearings in September and October. The hearings focused on foreign interference, particularly by Beijing, aimed at undermining Canadian democracy and targeting diaspora communities with harassment and intimidation.
As Commissioner Marie-Josée Hogue prepares to deliver her final report by year’s end, the rights groups requested that she recommend consistent and systematic application of existing laws to protect those most affected by interference. They also called for the repeal of “counterproductive” laws and the introduction of new measures to close gaps in protecting persecuted diaspora groups.
The coalition noted that foreign interference is often carried out by four types of individuals: Canadian citizens, members of foreign diplomatic missions, foreign nationals abroad, and non-citizens in Canada.
The minister presented evidence to the immigration division of the Immigration and Refugee Board, saying the OCAO had engaged in espionage by infiltrating overseas Chinese communities in Canada and other countries. It specifically targeted Chinese dissidents, including Falun Gong practitioners, Uyghurs, and Taiwanese and Chinese-Canadian citizens, the minister said.
The coalition highlighted how membership in an espionage-linked organization was defined in Zhang’s case. While the minister did not claim Zhang was personally involved in espionage, and Zhang denied that her employment with OCAO made her a member, the immigration division still categorized her as a member.
“Membership in such an organization is not limited to those who have membership cards. Legally, membership is not a defined term. It is determined on a case-by-case basis, based on the facts of the case,” the coalition wrote. “Criteria considered are the degree of involvement in the organization, the length of time of involvement, and the intentions, purpose, and commitment to the organization and its objectives.”
The coalition noted that the IRPA has rarely been invoked to address foreign interference, with Zhang’s case being an exception. The decision was made in August 2023, four years after her employment with the OCAO ended in 2019.
“Canada should not be a haven for members of terrorist, espionage and subversive organizations,” the coalition said.

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