Canadian Parliament urged to pass Bill C-70 to counter transnational repression against Hong Kongers in Canada

Today, Katherine Leung, Policy Advisor for Hong Kong Watch Canada, testified before the Standing Committee on Public Safety and National Security (SECU) of the Canadian House of Commons on Bill C-70, An Act respecting countering foreign interference. Ms Leung expressed Hong Kong Watch’s support for the Bill as well as its proposed amendments to existing laws to ensure the Canadian government is equipped to combat foreign interference, including transnational repression and intimidation against Hong Kongers in Canada.

Ms Leung opened her testimony by sharing our support for the proposed updates to the Canadian Security Intelligence Service Act within the Bill, especially those related to equipping national security partners to broaden the disclosure of their Canadian Security Intelligence Service information to key partners beyond the Government of Canada. “Broadened information will allow institutions to better understand and anticipate potential threats, build resilience against foreign interference, and take proactive measures to safeguard their operations and intellectual property,” said Ms Leung.

Ms Leung explained how in addition to tactics of intimidation, threats, and violence to silence dissent within diaspora communities, foreign interference also includes discrimination. “We have seen cases where individuals in Canada have faced job loss or eviction from their homes due to their political opinions,” said Ms Leung. 

Ms Leung also shared a Hong Kong Watch case study involving a pro-democracy activist from Hong Kong who fled to Canada in 2020 after participating in the 2019 protests. This Hong Konger claimed asylum, settled in Calgary, and continued her advocacy for democracy in Hong Kong. However, after publicly criticizing the Chinese government, this Hong Konger received anonymous threats on Telegram, including harassing messages about her personal life, appearance and advocacy, as well as graphic videos – including a bloody video of a woman suffering severe blunt force trauma to the head and a video of a beheading – with captions referencing her involvement in pro-democracy organizations. From fears for her safety, this Hong Konger no longer participates in pro-democracy advocacy for Hong Kong, despite permanently living in Canada.

Ms Leung said: 

“Foreign states use transnational repression to discourage dissent and silence diaspora communities, thereby undermining democratic participation and the ability of elected officials to fully represent the interests of their constituents. As Bill C-70 is written, the anonymous sender in this case would not trigger a requirement to register as a foreign agent. Expanding Bill C-70 to encompass all levels of foreign interference activities, including transnational repression and intimidation, will provide a more comprehensive and needed safeguard against these threats for the Hong Kong community in Canada.”

This hearing follows Hong Kong Watch’s April 2024 publication, Safety of Hong Kongers in Canada: Transnational Repression and Foreign Interference, which warns about escalated threats of transnational repression expected to be faced by Hong Kongers under Hong Kong’s new Safeguarding National Security Bill, which is implemented under Article 23 of the Basic Law and referred to as ‘Article 23 legislation’.

香港監察就加拿大外國干預法案作證 促國會通過《C-70法案》打擊跨國鎮壓在加港人

今天，香港監察加拿大政策顧問Katherine Leung出席加拿大眾議院公共安全及國家安全常務委員會聽證會，就《C-70打擊外國干預法案》作證。她表明香港監察支持有關法案及其對現行法例的擬議修訂，務求確保加拿大政府有能力打擊外國干預，包括針對加拿大境內香港人的跨國鎮壓和恐嚇。

Katherine Leung在作證開始時表示香港監察支持法案中對《加拿大安全情報局法》（Canadian Security Intelligence Service Act）的擬議修訂，特別是關於訓練國家安全合作夥伴，從而拓展向加拿大政府以外關鍵合作夥伴披露的加拿大安全情報局資訊。

Katherine Leung解釋，除了透過恐嚇、威脅和暴力手段壓制離散社群中的異議聲音外，外國干預還包括歧視。

另外，Katherine Leung分享一宗香港監察個案研究，涉及某位曾參與2019年抗爭，後於2020年逃亡到加拿大的香港社運人士。這位香港人申請了政治庇護，定居卡加利，並繼續倡議香港民主。然而，在公開批評中國政府後，事主在Telegram上收到匿名威脅，包括關於她個人生活、外表和倡議的騷擾訊息，以及暴力影片（包括一個女人頭部遭受嚴重鈍力創傷的血腥影片和斬首影片），附有提及她參與支持民主組織的描述文字。因擔心自身安全，雖然事主永久居留加拿大，但已不再參與倡議香港民主活動。

Katherine Leung表示：

「外國利用跨國鎮壓來阻礙表達異議並壓制離散社群，從而削弱民主參與和民選官員充分代表選民利益的能力。根據《C-70法案》所規定，在這種情況下，有關匿名寄件者不會需要註冊為外國代理人。擴展《C-70法案》至涵蓋所有層次的外國干預活動，包括跨國鎮壓和恐嚇，將為加拿大香港人社群提供更為全面且必要的保護，免受這類威脅。」

香港監察於2024年4月發表《在加港人的安全：跨國鎮壓與外國干預》（Safety of Hong Kongers in Canada: Transnational Repression and Foreign Interference）簡報，就香港人在《維護國家安全條例》（俗稱23條）新法下料將面臨的升級跨國鎮壓威脅作警告。