Conservative and Bloc Members of Parliament (MPs) are urging an immediate session of the House of Commons public safety committee to investigate allegations of espionage involving a former Canadian intern detained by Belgian authorities on suspicion of spying.
Expressing deep concern, Conservative MP Frank Caputo emphasized the need to scrutinize Canada’s national security screening procedures in light of the allegations. Caputo stressed the importance of ascertaining any potential gaps in the security screening system that could have jeopardized sensitive information or compromised the security of Canada and its allies.
The individual in question, Biwei Zhang, served as an intern at NATO’s Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE) in Mons, Belgium. Although Belgian officials did not disclose her identity, a CBC News investigation identified her as Zhang, a systems engineer with an economics background.
Zhang’s professional history includes previous roles at the Canadian Space Agency and Statistics Canada. European security sources, including Reuters, reported that Zhang allegedly displayed suspicious behavior that attracted the attention of NATO’s internal security services. Reports suggested that Zhang exhibited a keen interest in her colleagues, ventured into restricted areas without authorization, and accessed files beyond her designated responsibilities in SHAPE’s IT Department.
Zhang is currently under detention by Belgian security officials, with the allegations against her yet to be substantiated in court.
In response to the situation, Caputo announced that the committee will delve into how Zhang secured the internship at NATO’s military headquarters, the extent of security screening conducted prior to granting her access, whether any concerns were raised by Canadian or allied authorities, and the adequacy of monitoring procedures in place.
Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree pledged to investigate Canada’s security screening protocols to unveil the circumstances surrounding Zhang’s employment with Canadian agencies. Anandasangaree emphasized the importance of understanding the incident thoroughly to prevent similar occurrences in the future.
Prime Minister Mark Carney previously indicated that Canadian security officials were actively engaged in the matter and not caught off guard by the arrest.
The developments have sparked concerns regarding Canada’s security screening mechanisms, prompting a thorough examination by security officials to address these apprehensions.