RCMP Investigating Chinese Police Stations in Canada

Lucki says complaints of Chinese police stations have dropped

Remember those Chinese police stations operating in Canada? The RCMP have been investigating them since October.

RCMP Commissioner Brenda Lucki says they sent their vehicles to these stations to show their presence, and that they are watching them. In some cases, Lucki said they spoke to people involved with these so-called police stations that apparently provide domestic services to residents who are mainland Chinese.

However, human rights group Safeguard Defenders claims these police stations persuade people to return to China to face charges through harassment, intimidation and coercion. There are at least 102 of these such stations in 53 countries, of which three of them are in Toronto, one in Vancouver (Richmond).

RCMP vehicle in front of a "station" in Richmond

Lucki says the RCMP is investigating all four stations, but cannot comment further as she spoke before a special committee for Canada-China relations.

She explained the stations are in locations where there is a legitimate business in the front. "In some of these cases, it could be as simple as a room behind a commercial retail store."

So far, she says the strategy of showing the RCMP's presence has been successful. "We haven't heard very many new complaints on those three stations in Toronto and the one in Vancouver as a result of the disruption we have done," she said.

And because of the overt RCMP presence, Lucki adds people have come forward to give information. 

She did not give a timeline of when the investigation would conclude, but that Canada was working with local police, Five Eyes allies and other law enforcement agencies around the world.

While we appreciate the RCMP conducting a thorough investigation, time is of the essence -- the longer the stations are in Canada, the longer they feel entitled to stay.

Mulroney warns of more Chinese interference

Meanwhile in a separate meeting of the House procedure and house affairs committee Tuesday, former Canadian diplomats to China warned MPs to take foreign interference seriously.

Former ambassador David Mulroney said Chinese interference in Canadian elections was an "increasingly serious problem."

"I worry that we have yet to address this threat with the urgency it deserves," he said.

He suggested Canadian police "need to be more present in diaspora communities and better informed" about Chinese interference. Police also need to be able to "act as if they are to protect people who are being harassed and silenced by the Chinese state in Canada.

Charles Burton, former ambassador and now senior fellow at the Macdonald-Laurier Institute, pointed out no Chinese diplomat has been expelled and "no agents of the Chinese regime have been brought before a Canadian court to be accountable for alleged criminal activity."

He said this lack of action would have consequences. "This emboldens the Chinese regime to do much more of it in the next election," he warned.

"In other words, the longer we remain passive and ineffective, the more encouraged they'll be that they can do more of this and get away with it."

Will Canadian lawmakers listen to these admonitions and take them seriously?