URAP in Solidarity with Michael Chong

May 9, 2023

Intense discussions over the past week in the House of Commons have highlighted the importance of government action on the issue of foreign interference.

It was revealed on Tuesday that Hon. MP Michael Chong and his family were the target of threats after Chong supported the parliamentary motion to recognize the Uyghur genocide in 2021, and that Zhao Wei, a Chinese diplomat in Canada, was involved.

URAP is urging the government to fully investigate the procedural failings that led to inaction over the past 2 years, and take any and all necessary steps to resolve it.

Furthermore, URAP is asking the government to address broader threats to Canadians on Canadian soil by supporting and moving forward with the Foreign Influence Registration Act in the House of Commons. This bill imposes an obligation on individuals acting on behalf of a foreign principal to file a return when they undertake specific actions with respect to public office holders, and establishes a public registry in which all returns must be kept. It also amends the Criminal Code to increase the sentence for intimidation if the offender acted on behalf of the government of a foreign state, and it specifies that anyone who has filed a return under the Foreign Influence Registry and Accountability Act is presumed to be acting on behalf of the government of a foreign state unless the contrary is proved on a balance of probabilities.

Aside from protecting Canadians, including Uyghur-Canadians, Canadian-Hong Kongers, Iranian-Canadians, Russian-Canadians, etc., this would also protect their families overseas, about whom foreign agents in Canada collect information and share with their governments.

URAP has been a proponent of this legislation for many years in response to the Uyghur-Canadian community’s experiences of transnational repression as reported in our research from February 2022. As global politics trend towards authoritarianism and regimes feel increasingly emboldened to target perceived dissidents overseas, this issue is becoming more urgent for more peoples. Now that it has touched a member of Canadian parliament, there is no excuse for the government to stand by idly.

Finally, URAP wishes to thank all Canadian parliamentarians, lawmakers, and other public figures who have bravely supported the Uyghur community and stood up to China in the wake of the Uyghur genocide. Your voices in parliament, academia, news, and other avenues strengthens our resolve to continue fighting for justice.