Lawsuit alleges Ontario securities regulator put Canadian's safety at risk by co-operating with Chinese state police

A Canadian entrepreneur says he feels betrayed by his adopted country, after Ontario financial regulators allegedly put his safety at risk by co-operating with Chinese police in a fraud investigation.

A Canadian entrepreneur says he feels betrayed by his adopted country, after Ontario financial regulators allegedly put his safety at risk by co-operating with Chinese police in a fraud investigation.

Edward Gong, 57, is suing the Ontario Securities Commission (OSC) for violating his Charter rights by co-operating with a “known human rights abuser,” when it signed an agreement to investigate him with China’s Ministry of Public Safety (MPS) in 2017.

The lawsuit, filed in Ontario Superior Court, claims the commission used tainted evidence and shared information on Gong and his company with the MPS that was “unabated, unregulated and unlimited in scope and use.”

Gong alleges in the claim the OSC treated him “as though he belonged to China, instead of recognizing his rights as a citizen of Canada.” 

Gong made his fortune by manufacturing health supplements in Toronto, then selling the products to customers in China. At the height of his success, Gong says he employed more than 600 people in his company which generated revenues that topped $200 million.

The OSC says it will not comment given that the matter is before the court. It has yet to file a statement of defence.

In an interview with CTV News last month, Gong said that Canada failed to protect him.