Despite Liberals voting against it, the House of Commons just passed a motion to reopen the Canada-China Committee to investigate the Chinese Communist Party’s role — if any — in undermining Canada’s democracy.

The Conservative Party addressed the reinstatement of the Special Committee on Canada-China relations immediately after the vote. 

“… Beijing’s communist government continues to threaten and target pro-democracy and human rights advocates in the Chinese community here in Canada. Beijing’s communist leadership also poses a threat to Canada’s national interest and security, as well as to our values,” reads their website.

“… The committee has been empowered by the House of Commons to examine and review all aspects of the Canada-China relationship.”

The NDP and Bloq also voted in favour of the motion put forth by Conservatives. 

The Canada-China Committee was originally set up in 2019 but never really got off the ground. Its primary focus surrounded the mysterious firing of 2 Chinese scientists at Canada’s National Microbiology Laboratory in Winnipeg. 

It was later revealed that scientists Xiangguo Qiu and her husband, Keding Cheng, may have leaked data to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) — and specifically to the infamous Wuhan virology lab — as part of a long-term espionage mission in Canada’s only Level 4 laboratory. 

“It appears that what you might well call Chinese agents infiltrated one of the highest prized national security elements when it comes to biosecurity and biodefence,” Christian Leuprecht, a security expert and professor at the Royal Military College and Queen’s University, stated in June of 2019. 

But the Trudeau government refused to cooperate with the Canada-China Committee’s request to hand over unredacted documents.  

Opposition leaders subsequently fought this decision, but just when some ground was being made, Trudeau called a snap election, dissolving both government and, effectively, the order to produce the documents. 

It’s likely that the Canada-China Committee continue its investigation, but it’s not clear if Trudeau will once again shut down parliament should things get scandalous.