OTTAWA (LifeSiteNews) – The government of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau decided that a detailed intelligence transcript of a conversation between former Liberal MP Han Dong and a Chinese diplomat showed no “actionable evidence” that the MP asked Beijing to continue to keep two Canadians in jail for political gain.
According to a Globe and Mail report from last Thursday, Trudeau’s office was shown a Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) transcript of a conversion between Dong and a Chinese diplomat in early 2021.
However, after reviewing the transcript, Trudeau’s office decided there was, in essence, nothing to suggest that Dong had in 2021 advised a Chinese diplomat that it would be of interest to the Liberal Party if they delayed the release of Canadians Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor, or the “two Canadian Michaels,” who were imprisoned in a Chinese jail at the time.
Dong was alleged to have told China’s consul general in Toronto, Han Tao, that if the “two Canadian Michaels” were freed early, it would benefit the Conservative Party of Canada.
He is also alleged to have told the diplomat that it was in the best interests of the Trudeau Liberals to show progress in the case involving Kovrig and Spavor.
The accusation against Dong asking Beijing for a favor was made by Global News, which broke the story last Wednesday.
Last Wednesday, Dong resigned from the Liberal Party only hours after the news report broke alleging that he had asked a Chinese diplomat in February 2021 to delay the release of two Canadians held captive by the Communist Chinese regime.
Dong now says, according to the Globe and Mail, that he will be launching a defamation lawsuit against Global News to clear his “name.”
As noted by the Globe and Mail, Trudeau’s office along with its National Security Office asked CSIS for a copy of the transcript after the prime minister was asked about the matter 2 1/2 weeks ago.
The Globe and Mail has chosen to keep its source from the intelligence community secret.
On March 3, the Globe and Mail said it contacted Trudeau’s office to ask if the leader had been notified by CSIS regarding the February 2021 conversation between Dong and the Chinese diplomat.
At the time, the newspaper said it chose not to report the contents of the conversation because it was not able to authenticate the conversation because it did not have transcripts or a tape recording.
In February, Trudeau defended Dong after allegations arose that he had benefited from alleged Chinese election interference in Canada’s elections, after claims were made Communist China was busing in supporters for Liberal Party nomination votes in 2021.
In an email to Global News, Dong admitted that he had a discussion with Consul General Han. However, he denied that his conversation was about delaying the release of the “two Canadian Michaels.”
According to Trudeau press secretary Ann-Clara Vaillancourt, his office only became aware of Dong’s conversation with Han after the Globe and Mail asked for comments about it.
Last week, the Globe and Mail asked Trudeau’s office why Dong quit the Liberal caucus on the same day the story came out instead of when they asked the government about the matter weeks before.
As noted by Vaillancourt, “Mr. Dong decided to step aside and sit as an Independent as he works to respond to these allegations.”
Tensions between China and Canada have been running at all-time highs since the 2019 arrest of Meng Wanzhou, the CFO for Chinese tech company Huawei.
Kovrig and Spavor for months were detained by the Chinese government in what most regarded as a retaliatory measure for Canada’s arrest of Wanzhou. All three were released in 2021 to their homelands.
As part of the Huawei scandal, Canada banned the company from the nation’s telecommunications systems over security concerns.
Opposition parties, notably the Conservative Party, have been for weeks demanding that Trudeau launch a full, independent public inquiry over the China election meddling scandal.
Instead of a full public inquiry, as MPs from all opposition parties had requested, Trudeau appointed an “independent special rapporteur” to look into the allegations.
However, the “independent” rapporteur is former Governor General David Johnston, a known longtime family friend of Trudeau and member of the Pierre Elliot Trudeau Foundation.
Last Thursday, the House of Commons voted for a motion calling for public inquiry into China election meddling.
Last week, People’s Party of Canada leader Maxime Bernier said a criminal investigation is needed to determine whether or not a Liberal MP who resigned from the party due to alleged connections to China is “guilty” of being a “Chinese asset.”