Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre said in the House of Commons today that the RCMP is investigating two alleged Chinese government-backed police stations in Quebec, which intimidate or harass Canadians of Chinese origin. He wanted to know what the government is doing about this.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau responded that the government will take every measure necessary to protect Canadians from unacceptable actions from hostile authoritarian regimes, and that foreign interference, trying to harass Canadians, is completely unacceptable and will not be tolerated.

This is not the first time the RCMP has investigated reports of undeclared “police service stations” believed to be operating on behalf of the Chinese government. A news release from last November states that the RCMP is investigating reports from the Greater Toronto Area. The release describes Foreign Actor Interference as an illegal activity which targets Canadian interests, or interferes in Canadian society and threatens Canada’s national security. It includes attempts to threaten, harass, influence, intimidate, corrupt or discredit individuals, organizations and governments to further the interests of a foreign country.”

Poilievre also urged the Prime Minister to be more specific in a timeline for bringing in a Foreign Influence Registry, because of concerns about foreign interference from China in the last two elections.

Trudeau stated that an independent expert is being hired to identify any gaps in the system, who will make public recommendations which could include a formal inquiry. As well two national security bodies are doing independent reviews on foreign interference in Canada’s elections.

With a foreign influence registry, anyone working on behalf of a foreign government would have to log their activities. The federal government has said that it will do so but hasn’t given a specific date for when that would happen.