My name is Jian Zhang . My family and I have lived in Canada for 36 years, and we have spent most of our lives in this prosperous and beautiful country, which represents the highest standards of modern Western civilization. Canada’s multicultural policy treats immigrants from different backgrounds and countries of origin equally, providing safety and a positive cultural environment for our lives. After years of hard work, our lives are stable and prosperous, and we feel fulfilled and content. We love Canada and consider it our home for generations to come, and we take pride in being Chinese Canadians.
I support the Canadian government’s efforts to counter foreign interference and protect national security. However, I am deeply concerned about Bill C-70, the proposed legislation against foreign interference, which is currently under discussion and likely to become law. This bill is being introduced against a backdrop of deteriorating relations between Canada and China and a rising tide of anti-Asian and anti-Chinese sentiment within Canada. Several Chinese Canadian MPs and community leaders have been baselessly accused of being ‘agents of the Chinese government’ or ‘working for China.’ I believe that if C-70 is passed, it will severely impact the living conditions of Chinese Canadians and damage our basic human rights. The reasons are as follows:
1. C-70 does not have specific definitions for many concepts. As the anti-Chinese mentality intensifies in the government and society, under this background, Canadian intelligence agencies are likely to excessively enforce the law and labeling normal interactions between people as foreign interference. This could lead to innocent people being wrongfully accused and having their rights violated.
2. 2. C-70 will lead to stricter amendments to existing laws (CSIS Act including dataset regime the Security of Information Act, Canada Evidence Act, Criminal Code ), introduce new offenses, and grant greater powers to CSIS. This raises concerns about whether CSIS might abuse its power and whether it will be properly regulated.
3. The Chinese Canadian MPs and community leaders currently under attack have not been presented with concrete evidence against them. However, their political careers have been ruined after the media made baseless accusations and reported them without taking responsibility. If C-70 is passed, it is obvious that more people will face the same fate.
4. During World War II, Canada sent Japanese Canadians to concentration camps, depriving them of their property and personal freedom. Today, many people in the Chinese community are fearful and worried about the fate if C-70 is passed. They feared that Chinese Canadians might be subject to hostility and persecution.
Like immigrants from other countries, as first-generation immigrants, we inevitably maintain close ties with our country of origin, where our family, relatives, classmates, and friends still reside. We chose to settle in Canada and contribute to building this country primarily because of its foundation in multiculturalism, where everyone enjoys equal rights, including the right to participate in politics. If C-70 is passed and Chinese Canadians become a group that is suspected, monitored, and targeted, this kind of differential treatment and discrimination will undermine the very foundation of Canada, leading to social disorder and ultimately harming the national interest. Therefore, I oppose the passing of Bill C-70. For a better future for Canada, I urge the committee to consider this matter carefully.