Foreign interference inquiry will be 'deeply uncomfortable' for Beijing, Canada's ambassador to China says

Canada's ambassador to China says the coming inquiry into foreign interference in Canadian elections will be a difficult moment for Beijing, but Canada must move forward with a balance of co-operation and resilience in the bilateral relationship.

In an interview airing Saturday on CBC Radio's The House, Jennifer May said the inquiry, which will hold its first preliminary public hearings on Jan. 29 and run over a period of months, will cover issues ranging from disinformation to espionage — many of which could cast China in a negative light.

"I think there is a reality that this is going to be something that is going to be deeply uncomfortable for the Chinese government," May told host Catherine Cullen.

May, who has been Canada's envoy to Beijing for over two years, took over the role after what may have been the lowest point in Canada-China relations in decades.

China released Canadian nationals Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor after 1,019 days in detention in September 2021, but attempts to thaw the frozen relationship were again undermined by accusations of election interference that surfaced in early 2023.

May said the foreign interference inquiry is an important step in sorting out where Canada stands in relation to the world's second largest economy and second most populous country.

"I think it's important for us to be able to work through all of this for us as a society, and to really be able to come to grips with what this all means," she said.

The foreign interference inquiry was launched in response to allegations of Chinese inference in the 2019 and 2021 federal elections. After initially resisting opposition pressure to call an inquiry— led by the Conservatives — the Liberal government eventually relented and announced an inquiry to be headed up by Justice Marie-Josée Hogue.

Conservative MP and foreign affairs critic Michael Chong, himself a target of an alleged interference campaign, has been given full standing in the inquiry, while the Official Opposition has been given standing as an intervener. The NDP also gained intervener status, while NDP MP Jenny Kwan — who says CSIS has told her she has been targeted by the Chinese government — has full party status in the inquiry.

China has repeatedly denied any allegations related to foreign interference or espionage.

May told Cullen that Canadian and Chinese officials have had several tough conversations about foreign interference.

"I can assure you that they're difficult," she said.

"You know, we get pretty firm pushback from the Chinese side as well. These are open, they're candid discussions that we bring forward. These are tough discussions, but that's an important part of diplomacy — to be able to have tough discussions."

May skirted a question about the potential for Chinese interference in Canada's affairs in the future, saying this country should be prepared to resist all threats.