Kevin Vuong, journalist name five officials allegedly involved in foreign influence scheme
By Clayton DeMaine, True North Wire
A group comprising an Independent MP, an investigative journalist, and senior bureaucrats named four politicians and one government advisor allegedly involved in a China-led scheme to interfere in Canadian democracy.
Although the Trudeau government continues to withhold the list of elected officials named in a controversial foreign interference report, investigative journalist Sam Cooper claims to have uncovered several names of witting or unwitting officials working in favour of China from confidential whistleblowers. Two of those named by Cooper have denied the allegations.
Though Liberal International Trade Minister Mary Ng did not respond to True North’s request to comment, she denied the allegations on X.
“It’s unfortunate that Mr. Vuong recently gave Sam Cooper another platform to make insinuations about me, which I categorically reject,” she said. “Foreign interference is a serious matter of national security, and like all my Cabinet colleagues, I have been thoroughly screened by the top security experts in Canada.”
She took shots at Cooper’s credibility, saying his “conspiracy theories” have been “pushed from the main pages of Global News” to the “only place that will publish them” on his own website.
“It is not ok for him to continue fuelling this climate of suspicion against me,” Ng said on X.
Another individual named by Cooper, a Trudeau-appointed Liberal Senator Yuen Pao Woo, questioned whether Cooper’s “evidence ” in the press conference concluded foreign interference on his part at all.
“The press conference confirms my longstanding concern about the role of second-rate journalists, phoney experts, opportunistic politicians, and rogue officials in distracting Canadians from serious foreign interference issues and whipping up a frenzy that feeds on disinformation, partisanship, and bigotry,” Woo told True North.
Cooper also named the Liberal MP for Steveston—Richmond East, Parm Bains, saying he benefited from the PRC’s alleged foreign interference, Guo Ding, a journalist and advisor to B.C. Premier David Eby, and former Conservative senator Victor Oh as being involved in foreign interference.
Neither Bains, Ding, nor Oh responded to True North’s requests for comment.