Former Richmond MP claims he was victim of Chinese election meddling
Former MP Kenny Chiu is joining the calls for a public inquiry into possible election interference.
Chiu believes he was the target of Chinese meddling during the last federal election, though he doesn’t blame his loss on foreign interference.
“I’m not a sore loser,” he said Friday. “I’ve lost before in 2015 and 2019, but this time I’ve seen signs that have suggest election interference.”
Chui says comments were first brought to his attention on the messaging platform WeChat, an app primarily used by the Chinese community.
“It was visceral, it was hate, it characterized me as a traitor, as a Chinese-hater and as someone who is anti-Chinese and … a sellout to the Chinese people,” he said.
He believes it started because he proposed a private members’ bill to create a foreign influence registry, which would work to prevent election interference.
He says the disinformation was concerning, but he never took the concerns to the RCMP.
“I don’t have the confidence that they have tools and the ability to handle it.”
Before the October election, Chiu says he was approached by CSIS, but they wouldn’t say what exactly they were investigating.
A report commissioned by the federal government earlier this spring found no evidence that meddling had an impact on the election.
"The good news is the measures we put in place, we believe, and it was confirmed by the report today, resulted in no foreign interference, or even other electoral interference such as that the result of the vote would be compromised,” Domic Leblanc, the intergovernmental affairs minister said earlier this month when the report was released.
On Thursday, the House of Commons voted in favour of a public inquiry into alleged election interference.
Earlier this year, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau appointed former governor general David Johnston was appointed to determine if a public inquiry was necessary by mid-May. The prime minister has said he believes a public inquiry would have national security limitations.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
NDP motion regarding Palestinian statehood passes after major Liberal alterations
A motion from the federal New Democrats initially calling on Canada to recognize the 'State of Palestine' passed amid widespread acrimony on Monday, after the Liberals drastically altered its wording to see the government simply work towards that aim as part of a two-state solution.
'He didn't want to die': Family of Calgary man killed in standoff speaks out
Family of a Calgary man killed after a 30-hour standoff with police last week are speaking out, sharing details of the tense and heart-wrenching experience.
Toronto family doctor who called patient's body 'perfect' suspended for 3 months: tribunal
A family doctor in Toronto has been suspended for three months after a disciplinary tribunal found that he failed to follow proper protocols while examining a patient's breasts and made inappropriate comments about her body.
Ohio mom who left toddler alone 10 days when she went on vacation pleads guilty to aggravated murder
An Ohio mother whose 16-month-old daughter died after being left home alone in a playpen for 10 days last summer while she went on vacation was sentenced Monday to life in prison with no chance of parole.
Retired teacher pleads guilty to paying for sex with 15-year-old in Collingwood, Ont.
In a Barrie courtroom on Monday, a retired high school teacher from the Niagara Region pleaded guilty to sexual touching and obtaining sexual services from a 15-year-old boy in Collingwood in 2021.
Hertz CEO out following electric car 'horror show'
The company, which announced in January it was selling 20,000 of the electric vehicles in its fleet, or about a third of the EVs it owned, is now replacing the CEO who helped build up that fleet, giving it the company’s fifth boss in just four years.
5 charged in Calgary kidnappings that targeted women
Calgary police have charged five men in a pair of kidnappings last year that targeted innocent victims.
Demand soars for solar eclipse glasses in Canada. Are they worth buying?
The demand for total solar eclipse glasses used to safely view the rare celestial event has been ramping up as sellers, along with astronomy and eye-care experts in Canada, warn that viewing the eclipse with the naked eye is dangerous.
Canadian commander of volunteer fighter group dies in Ukraine
A Canadian-born commander of the so-called Norman Brigade, a volunteer fighting group in Ukraine, has died.