Queenie Choo with SUCCESS says she can understand tensions flaring between the two countries

Democracy Watch says this case demonstrates the need to set up an independent watchdog for whistleblowers to report to

Global News reports that Richard Lee had his government-issued phone seized in 2015 while detained in China

VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – Following an alarming report about a former Liberal MLA being detained in China four years ago, A member of National Citizen Advocacy Group Democracy Watch says, independent political bodies should be responsible for investigating how China may be infiltrating Canadian public institutions.

In a report made Friday by Global News, Richard Lee spent hours being held at a Chinese airport and had his government-issued phone seized, and visa revoked while serving as the Burnaby MLA in 2015.

In response, Duff Conacher of Democracy Watch says it might be valuable to set up independent watch-dogs to investigate China’s potential meddling in Canadian affairs.

Conacher says it, “Shows the need for watch dogs who are there to safe guard our laws and our democracy and not act in political ways like government might.”

He says independent political bodies should be responsible for looking into how China might be infiltrating our public institutions.

“I think every watch dog over our democracy should be creating a special investigative team and invite whistleblowers to contact them concerning influence by Chinese operates within Canada.”

Queenie Choo with SUCCESS, a Vancouver-based non-profit that helps newcomers adjust to life in Canada, says she can understand tensions flaring between the two countries, especially when privacy is concerned.

“In terms of the comments and information that is being shared we want to make sure we support our democratic rights,” she says.

“At the end of the day, as Canadians, we would really like to see that the issues be solved between the two countries.”

Choo says she supports Canadians who want to protect their information, especially when they are abroad and acknowledges that the situation is already tense between Canada and China, due to trade disputes and the detention of foreign nationals in each country.