Diaspora members are calling for more awareness, protections to fight foreign oppression Achi-News

OTTAWA – Members of a targeted diaspora in Canada are calling for greater awareness of the foreign threats they face as well as stronger protections that could save lives.

Representatives from various communities told a federal inquiry Wednesday about the many challenges of fighting foreign interference and oppression.

The latest hearings of the commission of inquiry focus on detecting, preventing and countering interference from abroad.

Katherine Leung, a policy adviser with Hong Kong Watch, said the police take notes and thank them when someone reports being surveilled, threatened or harmed by a person acting on behalf of a foreign regime.

“But for some members of the Hong Kong community I’ve spoken to, this is where the story ends. There is no progression, no sign of progress and no sense of security or closure,” said Leung.

“For these individuals, the silence that follows can be as unsettling as the initial threat. The lack of follow-up leaves them feeling vulnerable, unsure if their case is being followed up and no safer than before they reached out for help.”

Regular communication would reassure victims that their cases are being taken seriously and help build confidence in law enforcement and encourage future reporting, he said.

Moninder Singh, an advocate for the Sikh community, said there had been a failure by agencies to share information quickly and concisely when lives were at risk.

Singh said policies at the local, national and international levels should be aligned, with a clear protocol for responding to threats from foreign powers.

He also called for stronger cyber security measures to protect people.

“When we get these alerts into our lives, we are often told that we can be tracked through our phone, GPS and other things,” Singh told the inquiry. “Again, we have no education, no ability to really defend ourselves. Cyber ​​security education for individuals facing these types of threats is therefore critical.”

There is an urgent need to improve the awareness of key institutions such as the judiciary, RCMP and the Canadian Security Intelligence Service about the activities of foreign agents linked to oppressive regimes, said Farzaneh Fard of the Iran Justice Cooperative.

“Comprehensive education and specialized training are essential to equip these organizations to identify and effectively address threats,” he said.

Judges, prosecutors and immigration officials must be educated about tactics such as using false identities and false documents, Fard said.

Dedicated teams should be established within the RCMP and CSIS to focus on foreign interference and threats, he added.

In addition, he championed a national campaign to educate the public about risks including the exploitation of Canada’s legal and immigration systems by hostile entities.

“Right now, members of our community who are targets of foreign interference or who are aware of the presence of Iranian regime officials in Canada are struggling to communicate this information to the appropriate authorities,” Fard said.

He said establishing a well-advertised method of contacting the authorities with relevant information can protect members and quickly alert security agencies.

Teresa Woo-Paw, who sat in the Alberta legislature between 2008 and 2015, told the inquiry that all Canadians should be concerned about foreign interference in electoral processes and democratic institutions.

But he also said that members of the Chinese community are putting aside thoughts of running in elections because they do not want their loyalty to be publicly questioned.

Woo-Paw, chair of the Canadian Institute of Race Relations since 2018, said that “a large number of people” have told her of their aspirations to serve in public office.

“Almost all of them say, ‘But this is not the time.’

He said these fears will have a generational impact with fewer Chinese Canadians being elected to public office.

He said that some are also worried that they will be accused of trying to interfere in an election if they contribute to a nominee’s campaign, or that they could cause trouble for the candidate.

Woo-Paw was among members of the Chinese community who told the inquiry about the unintended chilling effects of the current public debate over foreign intervention.

Anonymous leaks to the media of intelligence documents about alleged Chinese interference in Canadian electoral processes sparked calls for the federal investigation that is now underway.

Montreal student Wawa Li told the inquiry there was an obsession with foreign intervention fueled by opportunistic authorities and politicians, leading to a sense of hysteria.

“I am against foreign intervention, and I hope the government will act if it exists, but not at the expense of the community,” he said.

The commission of inquiry also provided an insight on Wednesday into its wider consultation process.

In addition to the voices heard in public hearings, the inquiry has collected over 145 written submissions from the public. It has also received more than 460 responses to date to a questionnaire.

The investigation has also held 22 meetings with 105 members of the following diaspora: Chinese, Eritrean, Falun Gong, Hong Kong, Iranian, Russian, Sikh, Tamil, Tibetan, Tigrayan, Ukrainian and Uyghur practitioners. Summaries of these meetings will be published later, with some information redacted to respect privacy.

Among the suggestions so far:

— Increase government transparency regarding risks and responses to foreign intervention;

— foster collaborative relationships between expatriate communities and the government, including law enforcement agencies;

— improving the cultural knowledge and proficiency of government representatives who interact with victims of foreign intervention and transnational oppression;

— public education, awareness and support relating to foreign threats;

— media literacy resources and anti-racism education for the public;

— and better efforts to publicly verify information related to common disinformation topics.

This report was first published by The Canadian Press on October 2, 2024.