Conservative and Bloc Members of Parliament are pushing for an urgent meeting of the House of Commons public safety committee to investigate espionage accusations against a former Canadian intern detained by Belgian authorities on suspicion of espionage.
Expressing deep concern, Conservative MP Frank Caputo emphasized the need for a thorough examination of Canada’s national security screening procedures in response to the allegations. The former intern, Biwei Zhang, worked at NATO’s Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE) in Mons, Belgium.
While Belgian officials did not disclose her name, a CBC News investigation identified her as Zhang, a systems engineer with an economics background. Zhang’s online resume indicates past employment with the Canadian Space Agency and Statistics Canada.
Security sources in Europe, including Reuters, reported that Zhang’s behavior at SHAPE raised suspicions. She allegedly displayed excessive curiosity about colleagues, accessed unauthorized areas, and viewed files outside her designated responsibilities in the IT Department.
Zhang is currently in custody in Belgium, with the allegations against her yet to be proven in court.
In response to the situation, Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree vowed to address Canada’s security screening processes and prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future. Prime Minister Mark Carney indicated that Canadian security officials were actively involved in the investigation from the beginning.
The calls for an investigation by the public safety committee aim to scrutinize how Zhang obtained the internship at NATO, the extent of security screening conducted prior to her appointment, any red flags raised by Canadian or allied authorities, and the adequacy of monitoring measures.
Caputo emphasized the importance of transparency and accountability, stating that Canadians deserve answers regarding the incident, and Parliament has a duty to seek clarification on the matter.
