Ottawa assessing blowback from expelling Chinese diplomat accused of targeting Chong's family: Joly

Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly says her government is assessing the likely consequences of expelling a Chinese diplomat accused of helping to target Conservative MP Michael Chong's family.

Chong got into a heated exchange with Joly during a committee meeting Thursday after he accused the government of sending the wrong signal to foreign adversaries by not acting more swiftly and decisively on foreign interference.

Earlier this week the Globe and Mail, citing a 2021 top-secret CSIS document and an anonymous national security source, reported that China's intelligence agency was seeking information about an unnamed Canadian MP's relatives "who may be located in the PRC, for further potential sanctions."

The story said the MP in question was Chong, who was sanctioned by China in 2021 over his support for a parliamentary motion condemning Beijing's conduct in Xinjiang, a region in northwestern China, as an act of genocide.

The Globe also said that Zhao Wei, a Chinese diplomat in Canada, was working on this matter.

"We're assessing different options, including the expulsion of diplomats, because it is important that we take a decision," Joly told the foreign affairs committee Thursday.

The minister said the government has summoned China's ambassador and is weighing the potential economic, consular and diplomatic consequences of taking punitive steps. 

"This is about you, but it's also about the interest of the country," Joly told Chong.

"What we're doing right now as a government is assessing the consequences that we'll be facing in case of diplomatic expulsion, because there will be consequences. I think it's important that Canadians know what we've learned from the two Michaels experience is that, of course, China and the PRC will take action."

Chong fired back, saying the federal government's first concern should be for the security of its citizens.

"This individual, Mr. Zhao Wei, should be on the first plane out or declared persona non grata," he said.

"We are basically putting up a giant billboard for all authoritarian states around the world that says we are open for foreign interference threat activities on Canadian soil targeting Canadian citizens, and you can conduct these activities with zero consequences. That's why this individual needs to be sent packing." 

Joly said the government's decision "will have the best interest of Canadians and our democracy in mind."

Canada's intelligence agency says it knows Beijing officials have travelled to Canada to threaten and intimidate Chinese Canadians and permanent residents into returning to China. That's raising questions about the ability of police to investigate foreign interference.