A parliamentary committee in the House of Commons has decided to investigate the security screening procedures in Canada after a Canadian NATO intern was arrested by Belgian authorities on charges of espionage.
The decision was made following calls from the Conservatives and Bloc Québécois for an emergency committee meeting to look into the spying allegations against the Canadian intern. During a meeting of the public safety and national security committee on Monday, Members of Parliament from various parties agreed to prioritize holding 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 upon other relevant witnesses as needed. The committee will then present its findings and recommendations to the House.
Although the identity of defendants in Belgian criminal investigations is usually not disclosed, a CBC News investigation revealed that the accused spy is Biwei Zhang, a systems engineer with an economics background who interned at NATO’s Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE) in Mons, Belgium.
It was discovered during the investigation that Biwei Zhang is the legal name of the suspect, who goes by Claire Zhang professionally and Catina Zhang on her Facebook profile. Belgian authorities suspect Zhang of espionage on behalf of a foreign country and involvement in a criminal organization.
The Conservative public safety critic, Frank Caputo, raised concerns by sending a letter to the public safety committee chair, emphasizing the need for parliamentary scrutiny given the gravity of the allegations against Zhang. The case has prompted questions about the security screening, information-sharing, and monitoring processes in place for individuals obtaining sensitive roles within Canadian military alliances.
The NATO internship that Zhang secured required a thorough security clearance, which Canadian authorities, including the RCMP and CSIS, would have been responsible for conducting due to her Canadian nationality.
In response to the arrest of the alleged spy by Belgian authorities, Canada’s public safety minister pledged to investigate the matter thoroughly, acknowledging the seriousness of the charges. Prime Minister Mark Carney confirmed Canadian officials’ involvement in the case, stating that it is an ongoing investigation with limited details that can be shared publicly.
CBC News found that the former NATO intern had previously held positions within various Canadian government departments, including as an economist at Statistics Canada and a systems engineer at the Canadian Space Agency. Zhang had also 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 with a specialization in artificial intelligence from the University of Ottawa.
The day before the arrest on charges of espionage and criminal organization participation, Belgian authorities conducted searches at Zhang’s residence and workplace at SHAPE, according to a statement from the Federal Prosecutor’s Office.
