Hong Kong group urges RCMP to investigate Chiang for bounty comments

A civil rights advocacy group is calling on the RCMP to investigate Liberal candidate Paul Chiang after he suggested that Conservative candidate Joe Tay should be turned over to Chinese authorities.

Source: Facebook

A civil rights advocacy group is calling on the RCMP to investigate Liberal candidate Paul Chiang after he suggested that Conservative candidate Joe Tay should be kidnapped and turned over to Chinese authorities for a bounty.

Hong Kong Watch, an advocacy group focused on protecting the Hong Kong diaspora from oppression by the Chinese communist government, believes Chiang’s comments are grounds for arrest.

Chiang told the Hong Kong-based outlet Ming Pao that the audience could “claim the one million dollar bounty” if they bring Conservative candidate Joe Tay to Toronto’s Chinese Consulate. Ming Pao is funded directly by the Chinese state.

“This call for a Canadian citizen to be delivered to the People’s Republic of China Consulate in Toronto in return for a bounty should be disqualifying for political office,” Ed Simpson, the Interim Director of Hong Kong Watch, wrote in a letter to the RCMP. “Mr. Chiang’s comments cannot be ignored. We believe that Mr. Chiang’s comments may cross into criminality and must be investigated by Canadian law enforcement authorities.”

The group believes Chiang could be guilty of “counselling to commit the indictable offence of kidnapping” and allegedly breaching Section 20 of the new Foreign Interference and Security of Information Act.

“Every person commits an offence who, at the direction of, for the benefit of or in association with, a foreign entity or a terrorist group, induces or attempts to induce, by intimidation, threat or violence, any person to do anything or to cause anything to be done,” the Act passed last year states.

The letter notes that Chiang has not denied the allegations. Liberal Leader Mark Carney has pledged to keep Chiang on despite him suggesting his rival be kidnapped and handed over to Chinese officials.

“It is clear that this is a Parliamentarian suggesting to a broad community that a political opponent be taken against their will and handed over to the custody of a foreign government that has a well-documented history of wrongfully detaining Canadian citizens and using coercion to get Canadian citizens to return to the People’s Republic of China,” the letter said.

This comes just a week after Beijing executed at least four Canadian citizens on drug charges, despite pleas from the Canadian government and weeks after China hit Canada with $3.7 billion worth of seafood and agriculture tariffs. The Chinese government also held Canadians referred to as “the two Michaels” hostage for political reasons for years.

Last month, the Security and Intelligence Threats to Elections task force warned against targeted attacks against Chrystia Freeland, Carney’s opponent in the Liberal leadership contest.

The group said Tay is wanted by the Beijing-controlled Hong Kong police under the “notorious” 2020 Hong Kong National Security Law for advocating for democracy and human rights in Hong Kong.

“This draconian People’s Republic of China law purports to have extraterritorial jurisdiction over Canadian citizens who are exercising their freedom of speech on Canadian soil,” the letter said. “It is without question that Mr. Chiang’s comments are an attempt to intimidate Mr. Tay and his supporters and to silence him during an election.”

The law imposed by the People’s Republic of China allows the Chinese government to extradite those it deems to be a threat to China’s national security, mainly against those in Hong Kong.

The group alleged that Chiang’s comments were implicit threats of violence for financial reward by the Chinese state and were meant to intimidate Hong Kong’s diaspora in Canada on behalf of the communist regime.

“It is certainly without question that the intimidation and threats are for the benefit of a foreign entity, namely the authoritarian Communist Party government in Beijing,” Simpson continued on behalf of Hong Kong Watch. “It is crucial to recognize that these threats are not just aimed at Mr. Tay. The People’s Republic of China uses these fear tactics to send a chilling signal to the entire diaspora in order to force compliance and acquiescence to their extraterritorial goals.”

The group called for an “immediate investigation” to be concluded before April 28, the end of the election.

“Canada must send a strong signal that these threats are not acceptable, and that means enforcement of the law. As Canadians prepare to vote on April 28, you must provide reassurance that the RCMP is capable of countering foreign interference,” Simpson said. “It is totally unacceptable that foreign governments, amplified by some in Canada, make threats against political candidates.”

The group said that, given the years of revelations into Beijing’s involvement in Canada’s electoral process, this should be a warning and a call for Canada to act immediately to secure the 2025 election.