A parliamentary committee in the House of Commons has agreed to investigate Canada’s security screening procedures following the arrest of a Canadian NATO intern by Belgian authorities on charges of espionage. The decision was made after the Conservatives and Bloc Québécois called for an urgent committee meeting to look into the spying allegations against the intern.
During a meeting of the public safety and national security committee, Members of Parliament from different parties agreed to hold three sessions to delve into the issue when Parliament reconvenes in September. The committee plans to summon Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree as a witness and may call on other relevant individuals to testify. Subsequently, the committee will present its findings and recommendations to the House.
Although the identity of the defendant in the Belgian criminal investigation has not been publicly disclosed, an investigation by CBC News revealed that the accused spy is Biwei Zhang, a systems engineer with an economics background who was interning at NATO’s Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE) in Mons, Belgium.
The investigation discovered that the suspect goes by the legal name Biwei Zhang but professionally uses the name Claire Zhang and the name Catina Zhang on her Facebook profile. Belgian authorities suspect Zhang of espionage on behalf of a foreign country and of involvement in a criminal organization.
There are growing concerns regarding Canada’s security screening processes following the allegations against Zhang. Conservative public safety critic Frank Caputo has called for parliamentary oversight, highlighting the need to examine how an individual accused of spying managed to secure an internship within a crucial military alliance and what security checks were conducted at the time.
The NATO internship obtained by Zhang required a thorough security clearance, a process overseen by Canadian authorities such as the RCMP and CSIS due to her Canadian nationality.
In response to the espionage charges, Canada’s public safety minister has pledged to investigate the matter thoroughly, emphasizing the seriousness of the accusations. Prime Minister Mark Carney confirmed Canadian officials’ involvement in the case from the outset.
CBC News investigation also revealed that Zhang has held positions in various Canadian government departments, including roles as an economist at Statistics Canada and a systems engineer at the Canadian Space Agency. In addition, Zhang had previously faced allegations of fraud related to a job application at the Canada Border Services Agency.
Furthermore, the investigation found that Zhang had worked at the World Trade Organization in Geneva and the European Space Agency in Italy. She recently completed a Master’s degree in computer science specializing in artificial intelligence from the University of Ottawa. Prior to her arrest on espionage charges, Belgian authorities conducted searches at Zhang’s residence and workplace at SHAPE.