Canadian Senator defends organizations allegedly harbouring Chinese police stations: 'There is no need to stigmatize'

On May 5, Senator Yuen Pau Woo came to Montreal to hold a press conference to show his support for the Chinese Family Service of Greater Montreal and Centre Sino-Québec, two organizations allegedly harbouring Chinese state-backed police stations.

Right at the beginning, Mr. Woo talked about the allegations against the two organizations:

“It is extremely important that these allegations are supported by evidence, that the allegations do not go any further than are absolutely necessary for investigative purposes, that the allegations are made known to the individuals and organizations involved, and that every effort is made to avoid the collateral damage that comes with allegations that may prove to be false.”

Senator Yuen Pau Woo sits as an Independent representing British Columbia. Now in case you're not aware, a document published in 2022 by the Spain-based human rights group Safeguard Defenders showed that more than 50 Chinese police stations exist worldwide, and thereafter the RCMP launched an investigation into three Chinese police stations in the Greater Toronto Area.

The documents state that there are supposedly only three Chinese police stations in Canada, all concentrated in Toronto, but in March of this year, we learned that the RCMP also received approximatively 15 tips about two possible Chinese police stations in Montreal, Quebec.

“But we have heard in recent days from the Minister of Public Safety that all such activities have stopped and yet we do not know what these activities are,” stated Senator Yuen Pau Woo.

We also learned from a Montreal newspaper that the government was subsidizing these organizations via the Ministry of Immigration, Francization and Intégration framework since 2018 for a total amount of $2.6 million dollars.

We also know that the two organizations were involved in the last municipal and provincial election by promoting specific candidates like municipal councillor of Brossard Xixi Li.

“I don't care who you vote for, but vote for the right for Chinese Canadians to have a voice to demand justice, to demand equal treatment. That is my answer to you,” said Senator Woo regarding this issue.

According to the CBC, The Chinese embassy said that the overseas service stations are staffed by volunteers who are "not Chinese police officers" and are "not involved in any criminal investigation or relevant activity."