Thoughts on BC Politics and More

In what may prove the most self-defeating act of Canadian diplomacy in a generation, the Carney government’s overture toward a trade deal with China signals a dangerous retreat from the Western alliance — and from reality itself. This latest flirtation with Beijing marks another profound miscalculation in Canadian foreign policy, compounding the diplomatic damage already inflicted by its ill-timed recognition of a Palestinian state. Taken together, these moves suggest a government adrift from the geopolitical realities shaping the 21st century: a world defined not by moral posturing or mercantilist improvisation, but by alliance discipline, deterrence credibility, and economic security within a rapidly fragmenting rules-based order. At the strategic level, the notion that Canada can meaningfully diversify its trade toward the People’s Republic of China is detached from history ... CLICK HERE for the full story 

The Gathering Storm: Where Organized Crime Meets Espionage From my earliest days in the RCMP through years embedded with global financial intelligence units, one reality has remained consistent—and it’s now accelerating: Canada is a soft target. In Undercover in the Shady World of Organized Crime, I chronicled how criminal empires—from Italian syndicates to Asian Triads—operated in the shadows, laundering vast fortunes through our banks, casinos, and real estate. Back then, the fight was tactical. Today, it’s existential. We are witnessing a merger of interests between transnational organized crime (TOC) and hostile foreign states. China’s United Front Work Department and the PRC’s intelligence arms don’t just exploit criminal infrastructure—they integrate with it. Safe houses, shell companies, and crypto laundering chains—they’re tools of both cartels and foreign governments. This convergence is the new hybrid threat, and Canada has not adapted ... CLICK HERE for the full story

The People’s Republic of China, which is “intently focused on ensuring the survival of the Chinese Communist Party,” is Canada’s biggest counter-intelligence threat, according to a June 18-published report by the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS). It says China has targeted all levels of government, Canadian citizens and Chinese communities, via the United Front Work Department, its primary foreign interference arm. CSIS said China is involved in recruiting people to spy on Canadians, while employing “deceptive and clandestine means” to influence policy-making, non-governmental organizations, media and academia. Its goal is to further China’s interests, hide the CCP’s intentions and weaken Canada’s democracy and institutions ... CLICK HERE for the full story

I n one of the most closely scrutinized races of Canada’s 2025 federal election, Joseph Tay—the Conservative candidate identified by federal authorities as the target of aggressive Chinese election interference operations—was defeated Monday night in Don Valley North by Liberal Maggie Chi, following a campaign marred by threats, suspected intimidation, and digital suppression efforts. The Bureau has learned that Canadian police last week reviewed complaints alleging that members of Tay’s campaign team were shadowed in an intimidating manner while canvassing in the final days of the race. The status of the incident review remains unclear. With over 20,000 votes—a 43 percent share compared to 53 percent for Liberal Maggie Chi—Tay nearly doubled the Conservative Party’s 2021 vote total of 12,098 in this riding. Last Monday, federal intelligence officials disclosed that Tay was the subject of a highly coordinated transnational repression operation tied to the People’s Republi...