GTA liberal candidate's relationship with Chinese consulate sparks new attention
Regarding the relationship between the federal liberal candidate running in Markham-Unionville and the federal liberals in the Toronto Consulate, including his appreciation to the Consul General and paying tribute to the Communist flag at an event celebrating the People's Republic of China.
At the time, Toronto Police Department (TPS) principal Peter Yuen attended the Queens Park ceremony in 2016 and joined six other uniformed TPS police officers on the 67th anniversary of the autocratic regime, along with Kathleen Wynne, a liberal libertarian who was outdoors.
In the subsequent photos posted on the website of the Toronto Consulate in the People's Republic of China, Yuen appears to be saluting the Chinese flag, which is raised outside the legislature.
Peter Yuen seemed to pay tribute to the Chinese flag in his TPS uniform as it was held at a ceremony to commemorate the 67th anniversary of the authoritarian regime, and then outside the Ontario legislature with Kathleen Wynne, the liberal prime minister of Ontario.
Toronto Consulate Website/People's Republic of China
Two years ago, Global News found a photo of a Yuan man in uniform at an event inside the Toronto Consulate in China, published in the “China Daily America” edition, showing him giving him a plaque to the outgoing consul of Toronto, China, “Thanks to him for his support and friendship during his tenure.”
Toronto police and Chinese diplomats were surrounded by seven young TPS police officers whose presence in the consulate was unexplained.
The 2016 photo shows Toronto Police Chief Peter Yuen (central left) provided a plaque for leaving China's Toronto Consul Fang Li, surrounded by seven other unidentified Toronto police officers. The event took place at the Chinese Consulate in Toronto.
Li Na/China Daily (US version)
Yuen, who retired as Deputy Director of TPS in 2022, has detailed a detailed list of specific global news questions about his participation in these events, providing only general answers:
“I am proud of my Hong Kong legacy, but I have been a Canadian citizen for 45 years and have been honored to serve my community on the frontlines of the Toronto Police Department for more than 30 years.
“I participated in this competition because I was committed to building a strong, resilient and united Canada. Events of this nature were common in private and public institutions during the period you quoted to strengthen connections with people.”
“In my capacity as a policeman, I have participated in public safety conferences around the world, including Taiwan. I believe in a strong Canada, firmly defending democracy, human rights and the rule of law. If I have the privilege to be a member of Parliament, I will always support this work.”
Global News reported last week that Yuen participated in both events after traveling to the People's Republic of China in 2015, and he participated in the Chinese military parade in Beijing at the invitation of the Communist government.
Yoon said his involvement trip was approved by Toronto police and their superiors “as part of a broader effort to recognize Canada and its role in World War II,” the National Post reported.
The event's NBC TV video report shows that China boldly showed military power for political reasons after a massive stock market crash.
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The NBC report shows that leader Xi Jinping enjoys “a wave of goose soldiers, tanks and missiles” and watches the planes as the military parade passes (and above) Tiananmen Square. This shows that Chinese leader Xi Jinping agrees with his honorary guest Vladimir Putin of Russia.
“Most Western leaders are far away,” the NBC report added.
Yuen also briefed on the Academic Advisory Committee of Toronto's private high schools, which offers in-person and online courses for overseas Chinese students seeking to enter Canadian and American universities, several news organizations reported.
Hogue's inquiry committee heard testimony and received a CSIS briefing from the editor – suggesting that some students from high school were awarded a 2019 federal free nomination at Don Valley North Riding by a bid to Handong.
Dong testified during an inquiry that he did not know who arranged or paid for the bus that transported students, but he also admitted that he had tried to recruit students as political supporters in the residences that were visiting students in early days.
Justice Hogg listed confidential intelligence holdings, which showed that efforts were part of the obvious need for the Chinese government to interfere with the results of the free nomination.
Neither the Liberal Party nor Yuen answered questions about when his post in high school began or ended. The historical digital records of the NOIC Academy website were reviewed as a member of its advisory board by Global News from at least March 30, 20233 to September 19, 2024.
Yuen's unified appearance at the events in 2015 and 2016 coincides with the international condemnation China faces.
According to Amnesty International, a group of human rights monitors, the regime faces increasing accusations of systemic problems in its criminal justice system, leading to widespread torture and other unfair trials by Chinese police.
Global News connects with former CSIS intelligence officer Dan Stanton and supportive democratic leaders of the Toronto Chinese community for their reaction to Yuan’s photos and his trip to Beijing.
Cheuk Kwan, co-chair of the Toronto Democratic Association at the China Democratic Association, said he had some concerns about Yuen's relationship with the Chinese consulate.
Guan said that while there is nothing wrong with paying tribute to a foreign consul general, it is a national matter that Canadian federal officials usually handle.
“This is not something the local police officer has to do.”
“It's national politics. It's not what the local police have to do. It's China that goes beyond its boundaries. The evidence is there. We're going to guess the motivation.”
“You'll see the Chinese Canadian police backing his route. To me, it's pale and totally inappropriate,” Quain added. “The problem is that these people think it's OK to do it. It's business as usual.”
“What we're seeing is that it's not always the case. It's a repressive regime. You're a liar to others.” Toronto police shouldn't be wearing uniforms in Chinese consulates, nor should they pay tribute to the Chinese flag.
Guan said: “There is a security issue, but we have nothing to stop people from working hard with the consulate.”
Former CSIS official Dan Stanton said he was not worried.
“Any sinister or national security related to the public endorsement of diplomats is impossible. The consul does a good job in the community. Most people have no intelligence roles.” Stanton said the impact efforts will be hidden.
“(Other) TPS officials (in both sets of event photos) may have family ties to Hong Kong and therefore perform well in Chinese media,” Stanton added.
However, during Yuen's trip and photos, Amnesty International published a detailed report expressing concerns about PRC activities both in and out of the country and abroad in 2015 and 2016.
New laws pose serious threat to human rights
Amnesty International said China has drafted and formulated a series of new “national security laws” that pose a serious threat to the protection of human rights.
“(China) police are detaining a growing number of human rights defenders outside formal detention facilities, sometimes with long-term contact with lawyers, putting detainees at risk of torture and other ill-treatment.”
“Booksellers, publishers, activists and journalists who disappeared in neighboring countries in 2015 and 2016 were detained in China, raising concerns about Chinese law enforcement agencies acting outside their jurisdiction,” he said.
Guan added that TPS officers like Yuen do not need to go to Beijing to participate in the military parade. He also questioned who paid for Yuen's travel and why.
Guan also pointed out that Canadian police should not pay tribute to the flag of the repressive regime.
Toronto Police Department company spokeswoman Stephanie Sayer declined to answer questions about Me, and she did not answer questions about who participated in a military parade or approved in Beijing in 2015, but instead forwarded the inquiry to Yuen.
Yuen did not answer the direct question of global news, who paid for travel and accommodation for a trip to Beijing in 2015.
Media reports in the past few years show that holding the Chinese flag in Toronto has become an increasingly controversial issue in Ontario as the Chinese government faces increasing charges of foreign intervention.
The officials who called for banning them and asked for their apology to be organized after Queen Park stopped similar incidents in 2020 and protested against such incidents in 2019 by taxpayers and residents of China.
Yuen was hurriedly selected to run in Markham earlier this month after Paul Chiang, the current Freedom Congressman, was forced to evacuate. Yuen launched an unsuccessful campaign in Ontario's February general election.
Chiang made a speech, suggesting that Canadians resigned as Chinese activist Joe Tay after a speech by Conservative candidate Joe Tay and collected bounties at the Chinese consulate in Toronto. Chiang later apologized for his remarks, which caused anger across Canada and called on him to resign.
The Markham ride is home to one of Canada’s largest residents of Chinese descent, and has caused political trouble and the attraction of foreign influence, including the location of the suspected secret police station of China overseas that was closed by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP).
