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
WATCH LIVE | Johnston calls allegations of bias 'quite simply false' as MPs question him on foreign interference role
Canada's special rapporteur on foreign interference David Johnston is being questioned by MPs at committee about his role, his report into election meddling, his decision against a public inquiry, and allegations of a conflict of interest.

What's behind the increase in orca-human interactions, boat attacks? Here’s what an expert thinks
The number of interactions between killer whales and humans has increased alarmingly in recent years. CTVNews.ca asked an expert to explain the reasons behind the increase in interactions, explore the types of encounters, and examine the implications for both humans and killer whales.
Prince Harry testifies the tabloids destroyed his childhood, but fails to recall specific stories
Prince Harry entered a courtroom witness box Tuesday, swearing to tell the truth in testimony against a tabloid publisher he accuses of phone hacking and other unlawful snooping.
Feds warn 2023 on track to be the worst fire season ever seen in Canada
Canada's emergency preparedness minister says images of wildfires burning across the country are some of the most severe ever witnessed in Canada and the current forecast for the next few months indicates the potential for continued higher-than-normal fire activity.
Parents being stretched thin saving up for children's education: survey
Many Canadian parents are stretching themselves thin — even going as far as to postpone their retirement in some cases — in order to help pay for their children’s education, according to a new survey.
Multiple investigations underway after B.C. woman’s suspicious death in Australia
Police in Australia are investigating the suspicious death of a woman who used to live in Surrey, BC, after her body was found in her apartment on the outskirts of Sydney.
Ukraine dam collapse triggers emergency, Moscow and Kyiv trade blame
The wall of a major dam in a part of southern Ukraine that Moscow controls collapsed Tuesday, triggering floods, endangering Europe's largest nuclear power plant and threatening drinking water supplies as both sides in the war rushed to evacuate residents and blamed each other for the emergency.
What is the Kakhovka dam in Ukraine and what happened?
A huge Soviet-era dam on the Dnipro River that separates Russian and Ukrainian forces in southern Ukraine was breached on Tuesday, unleashing floodwaters across the war zone.
Astrud Gilberto, singer of 'The Girl from Ipanema,' dead at 83
Astrud Gilberto, the Brazilian singer, songwriter and entertainer whose off-hand, English-language cameo on 'The Girl from Ipanema' made her a worldwide voice of bossa nova, has died at age 83.