Reports implicate a current MPP in the Ontario legislature in a Chinese foreign interference network directed by China’s Toronto consulate during the 2019 election.
Global News has learned from intelligence sources that Progressive Conservative MPP Vincent Ke acted as a financial middleman for the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) in schemes aimed at interfering with the Canadian political process.
These claims are detailed in two separate intelligence reports from the Privy Council Office (PCO) seen by the outlet.
Ke has since denied the claims, with his lawyers calling them “patently and maliciously false.”
After a Global News reporter approached Ke about the story, he called the allegations “racist.”
“This is a false accusation. This is racist,” said Ke. “It’s racist because I was born in China because I come from China.”
According to sources, the Ontario MPP allegedly received approximately $50,000 from a larger $250,000 sum set aside for election interference purposes. The money is believed to have originated from the Chinese consulate.
No charges have been pressed.
A Jan. 2022 report by the PCO’s Intelligence Assessment Secretariat further claims that the CCP’s influence included more than 11 candidates who ran in the 2019 federal election, over 13 aides, and a member of the Ontario legislature.
“A large clandestine transfer of funds earmarked for the federal election from the PRC Consulate in Toronto was transferred to an elected provincial government official via a staff member of a 2019 federal candidate,” the PCO report claimed.
“Community leaders facilitate the clandestine transfer of funds and recruit potential targets.”
The report didn’t include specific mentions to individual names or quantities of funds involved.
However, numerous sources, including a high-ranking intelligence official familiar with Canadian Security Intelligence Service operations named Vincent Ke as the suspected target to Global News.
Sources also went on to state that Toronto businessman Wei Chengyi was involved, including the community organization the Confederation of Toronto Chinese-Canadian Organizations.
The Prime Minister’s Office has since denied claims that Justin Trudeau was aware of the money transfers.
“As the Prime Minister stated last fall, we have no information on any federal candidates receiving money from China,” said spokesperson Alison Murphy.
