Canada Moves to Secure Electric Vehicles Against Potential Chinese Espionage
The federal government is taking concrete steps to ensure that electric vehicles imported from China cannot be used as tools for surveillance against Canadian citizens. This announcement came during a parliamentary committee hearing on Thursday, where Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree outlined Ottawa's commitment to implementing robust safeguards.
Addressing National Security Concerns
Testifying before the procedures and House affairs committee, Minister Anandasangaree stated unequivocally that the government will establish protective measures to guarantee Chinese EVs lack "the capability to transmit information" back to their country of origin. This response was prompted by pointed questions from Bloc Québécois MP Christine Normandin, who expressed apprehension that these vehicles might function as "little spies on the road" capable of recording conversations and tracking locations.
The minister's assurances come amid growing scrutiny of the recent trade agreement between Canada and China. Last month, Prime Minister Mark Carney signed an initial pact that reduces tariffs on electric vehicles in exchange for Beijing lowering barriers to Canadian canola and other agricultural exports. Under this arrangement, Canada will permit up to 49,000 Chinese EVs to enter the country at the most-favoured-nation tariff rate of 6.1 percent, with this import limit scheduled to increase to 70,000 vehicles by 2031.
Political Reactions and Historical Context
Ontario Premier Doug Ford has been vocal in his criticism of the trade deal, warning that China could potentially exploit these vehicles for espionage purposes. Premier Ford drew parallels to the 2022 ban on Huawei equipment from domestic telecommunications networks, a decision made by Ottawa and allied nations over concerns about hidden surveillance capabilities.
"All vehicles coming into Canada will have safeguards in place where our information will be protected," Minister Anandasangaree emphasized to committee members studying foreign interference. "That is very much in line with our national-security priorities." However, the minister carefully avoided direct criticism of China during his testimony.
Broader Geopolitical Implications
This new diplomatic approach toward Beijing represents Prime Minister Carney's strategic response to the trade tensions initiated by U.S. President Donald Trump against Canada and other allies. The government is actively pursuing trade diversification beyond the United States, with China and India emerging as significant partners in this economic reorientation.
Conservative MP Michael Cooper challenged the minister during the hearing, questioning the logic behind pursuing law-enforcement cooperation with what he described as a "police state" that has surveilled and intimidated Chinese diaspora communities in Canada. "How could the Prime Minister possibly have thought it was in Canada's interest to strike a deal to pursue co-operation with the Beijing dictatorship on matters of law enforcement?" Cooper asked pointedly.
Minister Anandasangaree responded by clarifying that he was not appearing as a foreign-policy expert, but explained that the objective of law-enforcement collaboration with China is to combat the illegal importation of fentanyl. The minister declined to address whether he considers China to be the foremost national security threat facing Canada.
Intelligence Community Perspectives
In contrast to the minister's diplomatic restraint, Dan Rogers, director of the Canadian Security Intelligence Service, provided more direct assessment when questioned by committee members. Rogers identified China, along with India and Russia, as the primary actors engaged in foreign interference activities within Canadian borders.
Parliamentary Delegation Controversy
The committee hearing also touched upon the controversial recall of two Liberal MPs from a parliamentary delegation to Taiwan during Prime Minister Carney's January visit to China. Liberals Helena Jaczek and Marie-France Lalonde had joined a group of parliamentarians, including three Conservatives, on a six-day trip sponsored by Taiwan—the self-governing island that Beijing claims as part of its territory.
At the time, the two MPs explained they shortened their visit after consultations with Canadian government officials, aiming "to avoid confusion with Canada's foreign policy, given the overlap with the Prime Minister's engagement in Beijing." When Conservative MP Blaine Calkins pressed Minister Anandasangaree about the reasons behind the recall, the minister stated the question fell "outside the scope of his mandate," adding that individual MPs retain discretion over their participation duration in such missions.
Conservative foreign affairs critic Michael Chong has accused the government of capitulating to authoritarian pressure by recalling the parliamentarians, highlighting the ongoing tension between diplomatic pragmatism and principled foreign policy.
