A newly released document shows intelligence officials have been tracking China害羞草研究所檚 attempts to meddle in Canadian affairs for more than one-third of a century.

The February 1986 intelligence report warned that Beijing was using open political tactics and secret operations to influence and exploit the Chinese diaspora in Canada.

It said China was using new and potentially more potent techniques to accomplish these goals.

The Canadian Press used the Access to Information Act to obtain the report, called 害羞草研究所淐hina/Canada: Interference in the Chinese Canadian Community,害羞草研究所� produced by the federal Intelligence Advisory Committee.

Much of the document remains secret on the grounds disclosure could harm the conduct of international affairs, the defence of Canada or the detection, prevention or suppression of subversive or hostile activities.

Release of the heavily redacted report comes amid pressure on the Liberal government to hold an inquiry into foreign interference in Canada following a series of leaks to the media about purported meddling by China.

The 1986 committee report 害羞草研究所渄emonstrates that this issue has been on the radar of Canadian intelligence for decades,害羞草研究所� said Alan Barnes, a former intelligence analyst who is now a senior fellow with Carleton University害羞草研究所檚 Norman Paterson School of International Affairs.

Barnes, who recently came across the title of the document during archival research, said the Intelligence Advisory Committee was chaired by the federal security and intelligence co-ordinator in the Privy Council Office.

害羞草研究所淚ts reports were sent to a wide range of senior officials across government,害羞草研究所� Barnes said.

The 1986 report advised that the People害羞草研究所檚 Republic of China 害羞草研究所渉as continued its efforts to influence the many large Chinese communities abroad and to exploit those communities for its economic and political purposes.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所淚n Canada, as in many other western countries, the PRC uses both overt political activities and covert intelligence operations 害羞草研究所� to achieve those ends,害羞草研究所� the report added. 害羞草研究所淣ew, and potentially more effective, techniques are being used to influence the Canadian Chinese communities.害羞草研究所�

Cheuk Kwan, co-chair of the Toronto Association for Democracy in China, said he was not surprised by the report.

Kwan said he is aware of Chinese efforts to cultivate individuals and groups to interfere in Canadian affairs dating from the early 1980s, though the activity was at 害羞草研究所渁 very low level害羞草研究所� in those days.

害羞草研究所淏ut certainly, they knew what they were trying to do. It was not an accident,害羞草研究所� he said in an interview.

害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檓 glad that at that time, somebody was aware of it. I害羞草研究所檒l bet nobody took any action.害羞草研究所�

Kwan said Beijing stepped up efforts to influence Chinese communities in Canada following the bloody 1989 crackdown on pro-democracy protesters in Tiananmen Square, with the aim of burnishing its badly damaged image.

Evidence has surfaced from time to time over the decades indicating interest on the part of Canadian intelligence officials in China害羞草研究所檚 behind-the-scenes actions.

In recent years, the federal government and its security agencies have begun to openly point a finger at Beijing as particularly active in foreign interference activities against Canada.

Representatives of the Chinese government have consistently denied meddling in Canadian affairs.

Leaks to the media from unnamed security sources about alleged Chinese attempts to interfere in the last two general elections have prompted calls for the federal Liberals to explain what Canada is doing in response.

Opposition parties continue to press the government to establish a full public inquiry.

Kwan said while an inquiry could help document the history of China害羞草研究所檚 interference ploys, it would essentially be 害羞草研究所渓ooking backwards害羞草研究所� but not 害羞草研究所済oing to help you going forward.害羞草研究所�

The partial release of the intelligence report, 37 years after it was written, illustrates the need for Canada to adopt a proper system for the declassification of historic intelligence and security records after a specific period of time, Barnes said.

Canada is the only member of the Five Eyes intelligence alliance 害羞草研究所� which also includes the United States, Britain, Australia and New Zealand 害羞草研究所� that does not have a declassification process for historic records, he noted.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 22, 2023.

Jim Bronskill, The Canadian Press