Canada must be willing to expel Chinese diplomats over interference, harassment: ex-envoy

David Mulroney, who was the government’s ambassador to China between 2009 and 2012, told MPs on Tuesday that China is the 'primary threat' of foreign interference in Canada.

The federal government must be prepared to expel Chinese diplomats if they are found to be involved in interference or harassment, Canada’s former ambassador to China says.

David Mulroney, who was the government’s envoy to the People’s Republic of China (PRC) between 2009 and 2012, told MPs sitting on a committee studying foreign interference on Tuesday that China is the “primary threat” of that in Canada.

As a result, politicians should implement a series of measures to shore up the country’s protections against foreign meddling, including action up to diplomatic expulsions, he said.

“We must be prepared to expel Chinese diplomats involved in interference or harassment. Our failure to do so only encourages increasingly brazen meddling,” Mulroney told MPs.

“This will trigger retaliation, but we must make it clear that expulsion is the inevitable consequence of such hostile behaviour.”

Canadian relations with China have been uneasy for several years, intensifying in recent months over allegations of attempts to influence and interfere in Canadian affairs.

Global News reported on Nov. 7 that Canadian intelligence officials have warned Prime Minister Justin Trudeau that China has allegedly been targeting Canada with a vast campaign of foreign interference, according to Global News sources.

Furthermore, the RCMP has asked anyone with experience of Chinese influence through so-called “police stations” believed to be operating in Canada to come forward.