Cabinet yesterday introduced a long-promised bill to name paid friends of China and other foreign governments. Similar legislation in the United States has unmasked foreign agents for 86 years: "We intend to proceed quickly."

A Liberal MP named a beneficiary of Chinese election meddling yesterday told the Commons that actions by foreign agents “were not successful.” MP Parm Bains (Steveson-Richmond East, B.C.) would not discuss events in his own riding: "We must adapt our thinking."

Federal agencies from the Privy Council to the RCMP have used Chinese surveillance cameras banned in the U.S. as a security risk. Widespread purchase of the equipment was uncovered by Bloc Québécois MP René Villemure (Trois-Rivières, Que.): 'We are removing these cameras.'

Chinese agents were likely to blame for “troubling events” in at least three federal ridings, says the Commission on Foreign Interference. The conclusion in a 194-page Initial Report by Justice Marie-Josée Hogue contradicted two previous findings by Liberal appointees: "People are right to be worried."

Cabinet will soon legislate a mandatory registry of foreign agents, Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc said yesterday. The pledge comes ahead of Friday’s first report of the Commission on Foreign Interference that documented Chinese subterfuge in Canada: "It’s very exciting."

Two scientists fired as Chinese spies in 2021 kept their top federal security clearance for months while under investigation because “these were allegations,” the Public Health Agency told a Commons committee Friday. MPs expressed astonishment at the lapse: "How were there not red flags at that point?"

Chinese Canadians face new “nativist and xenophobic” discrimination, claims Liberal-appointed Senator Yuen Pau Woo (B.C.). The Senator was granted standing at the China inquiry but did not participate in hearings that exposed illegal activities by Chinese Communist Party agents: "Do you have any ties with the Chinese regime?"

Cabinet aides in a secret 2017 memo told Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to avoid public criticism of China despite evidence Communist Party agents were committing crimes in Canada. Cabinet was attempting to negotiate a Chinese free trade pact at the time: "This could be deemed illegal by Canadian courts."

Federal election monitors were supposed to keep a lookout for Russian agents not Chinese, Government House Leader Karina Gould said yesterday. No Russian agents were ever found while cabinet received numerous warnings of illegal activities by the Communist Party of China: "The primary focus was really on Russia."

Cabinet had to follow “due process” before firing suspected Chinese spies working at the National Microbiology Laboratory, says Health Minister Mark Holland. Scientists with links to the People’s Liberation Army came under surveillance in August 2018 but remained on the job until July 2019: "Do you think they were eminent scientists or eminent spies?"

Communist Party agents worked to elect “pro-China” candidates to the current Parliament, CSIS director David Vigneault yesterday testified at the Commission on Foreign Interference. “I support those conclusions,” said Vigneault as documents pointed to large cash payments for unnamed public office holders: "As you can imagine, we are not at liberty to discuss the specifics."

Foreign interference cost the Conservative Party “a certain number of seats” in the 2021 election, former leader Erin O’Toole yesterday testified at the China inquiry. Internal federal memos confirmed Conservatives were targeted by a Chinese language slander campaign claiming O’Toole planned to cut diplomatic relations with Beijing: "The government knew there was a level of foreign interference occurring."

Federal security agents in a censored 2021 election memo said they were aware China sought to “cultivate relationships with current MPs.” China-friendly Members of Parliament were not identified: 'China is interested in individuals who are viewed as ‘pro-PRC’ or ‘neutral' in key areas."

Two Chinese-Canadian scientists fired by the Public Health Agency kept secret contacts with Beijing and maintained a Chinese bank account, documents show. Cabinet yesterday disclosed a 614-page report confirming the husband and wife given top clearance at the National Microbiology Laboratory in Winnipeg were security risks: 'Asked what she would so if approached by the Chinese government, Ms. Qiu responded, ‘Well, it depends.'

Cabinet yesterday budgeted more than $11 million for its judicial inquiry into election meddling by Chinese agents. Fifty-three lawyers are attending the Commission on Foreign Interference: "I will make every effort to get to the bottom of things."