Former Conservative leader Erin O害羞草研究所橳oole said Thursday that Canada害羞草研究所檚 spy agency told him he would be a target of the Chinese government 害羞草研究所渋nto the future害羞草研究所� for 害羞草研究所渁n undetermined time.害羞草研究所�

O害羞草研究所橳oole, who has returned to the private sector after retiring from more than a decade in elected politics, shared that detail with MPs on a parliamentary committee that is probing the issue of foreign interference and the privilege of parliamentarians.

The study was launched amid media reports late last year and early this year that Beijing had allegedly meddled in Canada害羞草研究所檚 affairs during the 2019 and 2021 federal elections.

In May, the federal government confirmed a media report that the Canadian Security Intelligence Service had information in 2021 that China害羞草研究所檚 government was looking to intimidate longtime Conservative MP Michael Chong, as well as his relatives in Hong Kong.

That prompted Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to say the spy agency needed to share such information with parliamentarians.

O害羞草研究所橳oole said he learned of Beijing害羞草研究所檚 likely ongoing interest in him when he questioned why CSIS officials used the present tense when referring to him as a 害羞草研究所渢arget of interest害羞草研究所� during a late May briefing, just before he was set to retire from politics.

害羞草研究所淚 had to ask, 害羞草研究所榊ou害羞草研究所檙e using the present tense,害羞草研究所櫤π卟菅芯克鶟 O害羞草研究所橳oole testified Thursday, recalling the conversation he had with officials during the briefing.

害羞草研究所満π卟菅芯克鶚I害羞草研究所檓 not the Conservative leader anymore and I害羞草研究所檓 not going to be an MP in a few months when the session comes to an end.害羞草研究所櫤π卟菅芯克鶟

O害羞草研究所橳oole said he asked if that language meant he was a target on an ongoing basis, and he received clarification that that was the case.

He said that this was in part because of long-held 害羞草研究所渃oncerns about certain conduct害羞草研究所� of the Chinese Communist Party.

害羞草研究所淚t was surprising to me,害羞草研究所� he said, that the officials considered this to happen 害羞草研究所渋nto the future (for) an undetermined time.害羞草研究所�

O害羞草研究所橳oole害羞草研究所檚 testimony comes after he and his former campaign staff raised concerns that a panel tasked with monitoring for threats and other interference attempts in the 2021 election did not take their concerns seriously.

He has said that the party brought concerns to the panel about Conservative candidates being possible targets of an online misinformation campaign regarding the party害羞草研究所檚 stance on China.

China has long rejected accusations that it has meddled in Canadian politics, and says those claims hurt the bilateral relationship.

害羞草研究所淔or some time, the Canadian side has falsely accused China of spreading disinformation against Canadian politicians on multiple occasions, but it has never come up with any solid evidence,害羞草研究所� foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said on Tuesday, according to an official translation of her remarks.

害羞草研究所淭he Canadian side has long made up lies 害羞草研究所� to attack and smear China. It is the Canadian side that has been producing and spreading disinformation.害羞草研究所�

Stephanie Taylor, The Canadian Press