Conservative and Bloc MPs have urged the House of Commons public safety committee to hold an urgent meeting to investigate espionage accusations against a former Canadian intern detained by Belgian authorities for suspected espionage.
Expressing concern, Conservative MP Frank Caputo highlighted the need to assess Canada’s national security screening protocols. He emphasized the importance of determining potential security screening gaps that could have compromised sensitive information and jeopardized the security of Canada and its allies.
The individual in question, identified as Biwei Zhang, served as an intern at NATO’s Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE) in Mons, Belgium. Zhang’s professional background includes roles at the Canadian Space Agency and Statistics Canada.
Reports from security sources in Europe, such as Reuters, suggest that Zhang’s behavior at SHAPE raised suspicions. Allegedly, she displayed undue curiosity about colleagues, accessed restricted areas, and retrieved files beyond her designated scope in the IT Department.
Zhang is currently under detention in Belgium, with unproven allegations against her. The public safety committee, as per Caputo, aims to investigate how Zhang secured the internship, the extent of security screening conducted prior to granting access, any red flags raised by Canadian or allied authorities, and the adequacy of monitoring procedures.
Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree has assured a thorough examination of Canada’s security screening processes to prevent similar incidents in the future. Prime Minister Mark Carney has indicated that Canadian security officials were proactive in response to the arrest.
The case has prompted scrutiny of Canada’s security screening mechanisms, underscoring the necessity of comprehensive investigations and preventive measures to avert such occurrences.
[Source](https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/biwei-zhang-committee-probe-bloc-tories-9.7306294)
