Canadian member of the parliament (MP) Han Dong has stepped down from the Liberal Party of Canada following allegations that he has been privately advising a senior Chinese diplomat to hold off the release of two Canadians detained by China on espionage charges until after Canada's 2021 federal election.
The MP said he will leave Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's ruling party to sit as an independent. He also denied the accusations against him.
"To all my colleagues in the parliament, media reports today quoting unverified and anonymous sources have attacked my reputation and called into question my loyalty to Canada," Dong said during an emotional speech to the House of Commons.
"Let me be clear, what has been reported is false. And I will defend myself against these absolutely untrue claims. I will be sitting as an independent to ensure that the business of government, and indeed, the business of parliament, is not interrupted as I work to clear my name."
Prior to Dong's announcement, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre tweeted that the allegations were "serious reports of actions that threaten the core of our Canadian democracy." NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh, meanwhile, called for Dong to be removed from the Liberal caucus pending an investigation of the "extremely serious allegations."
"I'm confident that when the truth is revealed and all of this has then transpired, we'll have a better understanding as to what has happened. In the meantime, I'm going to give him the respect to make the decision that he's made… I know he cares about our country," said Liberal MP Charles Sousa, who worked with Dong in the Ontario legislature.
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Citing anonymous national security sources, Global News reported that Dong advised China's consul-general in Toronto, Han Tao, in February 2021 that setting the "Two Michaels" free –Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor – should be postponed as the release would benefit the federal Conservative Party of Canada, which is seen as unfriendly to Beijing. Both Michaels were detained in China for more than 1,000 days on spying charges and were eventually freed on September 24, 2021, four days after the Canadian federal polls. (Related: Report: Top intelligence agency warned PM Trudeau that China was funding candidates in 2019 Canadian election.)
Dong emailed the media outlet, saying he did not advise Beijing to delay releasing the two from prison. "I raised the status of Michael Spavor and Michael Kovrig and called for their immediate release," he wrote. "At every opportunity before they returned home, I adamantly demanded their release to Canada without delay. Any suggestions otherwise are false and are attempts to mislead you and your readers, and slander me."
House of Commons calls for public inquiry
The current controversy came as the nation grapples with wider accusations that China attempted to interfere in the last two federal elections and a mayoral election in Vancouver.
According to a series of reports in recent months by Global News and the Globe and Mail, which were based on anonymous national security sources and leaked classified documents, Beijing interfered in the elections by putting pressure on its consulates in Canada to support certain candidates.
BBC's Nadine Yousif wrote that Trudeau has been facing growing political pressure to launch a public inquiry. This month, he appointed an independent special rapporteur to look into the reports and determine whether such an inquiry is needed. In relation to this, the House of Commons passed a non-binding motion calling for a public inquiry, with Dong casting his vote in favor.
"I want to make everyone understand fully that Han Dong is an outstanding member of our team and suggestions that he is somehow not loyal to Canada should not be entertained," Trudeau said back in February when he defended Dong following a report that the MP might have been compromised.
Meanwhile, a spokesman from China denied that Beijing ever attempted to interfere in Canadian politics.
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