CSIS Warns Of Chinese Influence On Canadian Real Estate…20 Years Ago

Made in China

Remember when the RCMP and CSIS accused the Chinese government of purchasing real estate in Canadian urban centers as a method of threatening Canada? No? That’s because the recommendations from a former classified program called Sidewinder was abandoned. All documents were ordered destroyed, and buried in 1997 by the Liberal government. Turns out we were as anxious to build ties with China then as we are now. Despite our national spy services advising the government that, well…this would happen to real estate.

In a report titled Chinese Intelligence Services and Triads Financial Links in Canada, an RCMP-CSIS joint task force allege that the Chinese government is using legal and legitimate businesses to gain control over the economic levers of Canada. They also warn that the “Canadian economy is concentrated in three or four large urban centres.” Consequently, “[Canada] is more vulnerable [than other countries] because of the many legislative loopholes governing finance and the concentration of financial power in the hands of few”.

20 years ago, when people thought Barbie Girl was great music, this seemed like our top spies were spinning a far-fetched conspiracy theory. Analysts even referenced how far fetched it seemed in the actual document. They preface the report with “this document does not present theories but indicators of a multifaceted threat to Canada’s national security based on concrete facts drawn from the databanks of the two agencies involved [the RCMP and CSIS].”  (more...)

CSIS Warns Of Chinese Influence On Canadian Real Estate…20 Years Ago

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