Thread by @KarenWenLin

🧵1. So, I've been watching the media, CSIS and the PMO going at the whole Election Interference story from the sideline, and it kinda felt like Deja Vu all over again. I will break this down for you from the POV of the media, #CSIS and the Chinese Consulate. #China #cdnpoli

2. If you read the @scoopercooper , @globeandmail 's reports on the China's #election #interference, you'll know, it's all allegations so far. Some of which are true, others are just "urban legends". why is that? Cuz CSIS doesn't have a foot hold in the Chinese Disapora #cdnpoli

The way CSIS conducts theses "investigations" are mostly through interviews with people who understand the Chinese community, or a member of the Chinese Overseas Designated Community Leaders 侨领系统。 And they don't have to speak to CSIS...at all.
#cdnpoli

This creates an interesting dynamic. e.g how would CSIS even know that the Chinese Consulate is reimbursing (partial) political donations w/o even looking into the Chinese Consulate's bank accounts and transactions? They Don't!! Coz someone from the Oversea Designated (cont'd)

Community Program 侨领系统 told CSIS. They did that cuz they were pissed off at Michael Chan & Han Dong. Someone ate someone else's lunch a little too much if you know what I mean 😎. And don't forget when CSIS talked to you, you can lie to them. It's not illegal. #cdnpoli

I previously worked for a lobbying firm that had a contract with the Chinese Consulate. I did very little on that file cuz I wanted to focus on other clients and be in the media. My colleague worked on most of that file . The firm registered in the lobby registry.
#cdnpoli

In 2019, just before the federal election, CSIS talked to me coz they wanted to gauge where the Chinese community was through KOLs, community leaders and even members of China's United Front. CSIS was worried about foreign election too. CCPAC, a non profit (cont'd) #cdnpoli

.. that I co-founded was conducting some research in the Chinese Diaspora. So I was happy to share our findings with CSIS. I told them one shouldn't underestimate the support for #Beijing in the mainland Chinese Disapora even w/t the #antielab movement in #hongkong
#cdnpoli

Now back to Michael Chan and Han Dong. They both know who I am. Han Dong and I went to the same high school. He's older than me. It's No question that Michael Chan has always been very pro China. He's is under China's influence. We don't need CSIS to tell us that. #cdnpoli

Back in 2019, Michael Chan organized a pro Hong Kong police, pro stability rally at the peak of the HK Anti Extradition rally. In the same rally, Han Dong passed nomination forms around to sign up for new members cuz he was running in the DVN liberal nomination race to replace

the disgraced former MP Geng Tan. Tan had an extra marital affair that resulted in a daughter born out of wedlock. It's not that the Chinese Consulate preferred Han Dong. It's cuz Geng Tan had sexual scandals attached to his name. And this is where CSIS got it wrong. #cdnpoli

My guess is that the person they talked to had a language barrier so context was lost. And Han Dong won his nomination by a razor thin margin, less than 50 votes. He had the help of Wei Cheng Yi , a well known Chinese Oversea Designated Community Leader, helping him sign up ppl.

So, did the Chinese Consulate help Han Dong win his nomination? Yes and No. Wei Cheng Yi is a proxy for the Chinese Consulate. By virtual of him helping Han, one *could* claim Han is the Chinese Consulate's preferred candidate. But that is not the case!! Cuz the other candidate

Jiang Banggu is also very China Friendly. So essentially, the Chinese Consulate had no skin in the game whether or Not Han or Jiang wins in the end, they will get a "pro China" Liberal MP. But here is the thing, Han is Michael Chan's candidate.

Michael Chan even brought Steven Del Duca to Han Dong's nomination. He pissed off people who were loyal to him but didn't want Han to win. It's very possible that they then talked to CSIS. How else would CSIS know about the supposedly $250K Consultate election funds 🤷 if CSIS

never talked the Michael Chan, never looked into his bank account or tax? An in-fight within the Chinese Oversea Designated Community 侨领 circle is what made people leak to CSIS cuz they hate Michael Chan. And the Consulate is trying to put a lid on the in-fight.

A Chinese diplomat once told me part of their job is also to "smooth things over" among pro China community groups and that is Not surprising at all. They all eat and drink from the same well. There is definitely competition. Now back to CSIS. What I find strange is its former

boss Richard Fadden is saying completely different things than its current director. Richard Fadden says he's worried about Chinese interference, and his succesor says China's interference didn't impact the outcome of the election. And the PMO denied being briefed by CSIS prior..

There is a power play in CSIS. And CSIS has become very political. People need to understand that CSIS is not law enforcement. With this amount of allegations, why hasn't the RCMP moved at all? What exactly is CSIS' objectives when they supposedly leaked to @globalnews ? #cdnpoli

The media of course has its own narrative. "Anti China" is the trend now, so they will chase after that even if no trials, no criminal investigations result from this. They don't care. The news cycle moves fast. Even if Trudeau decides eventually that the media attention isn't

going away and he's going to throw Han Dong under the bus, so what? It just surprises me that CSIS has been monitoring Michael Chan for 10 years and they never once talked to him, or even looked at his bank account, and not once investigated him?? Is this Not Strange?