Malaise on the campaign of Mark Carney while a liberal deputy invited the director of two organizations which are the subject of a RCMP survey at a campaign event on Tuesday evening, in Brossard.
The deputy of Brossard-Saint-Lambert Alexandra Mendès, who openly supports two centers suspected of being Chinese “police stations”, invited their director, XIXI Li, to a campaign event at the restaurant Le Célérité de Brossard last Tuesday.
A presence that has not gone unnoticed within the guests. Mme Li, who is also a municipal councilor of Brossard, directs the two community centers of Montreal and Brossard that the Royal Canada Gendarmerie (RCMP) suspects of monitoring and intimidating citizens on behalf of China on Quebec soil. An investigation was opened in February 2023.
In mme Li Ni Mme Mendès answered our calls on this subject. But the member had to explain her party, learned The newspaper.
MP Alexandra Mendès Photo agency QMI, Chris Roussakis
“The person participated in an event organized by the local candidate. This person did not donate, “confirmed one of the spokesperson for Mark Carney’s campaign, Guillaume Bertrand.
A source in the Carney team which is not allowed to speak publicly also indicated to us that the party had not been made aware of this invitation and that it disapproved of the presence of Mme Li to a partisan event.
“It creates a certain discomfort,” said the same source.
A disturbing support
This is not the first time that Mme Mendès puts his side embarrassed because of his support for Mme Li.
She had notably invited her in February 2024 to an evening to thank volunteers, in a restaurant in Brossard. This had taken over his colleague François-Philippe Champagne, then Minister of Innovation, who had also agreed to participate in the evening, without knowing that Mme Li would be present.
“We expect the organizers of public events in which the Minister participate to make the necessary checks,” reacted the spokesperson for Minister Champagne, Audrey Champoux, when our office of inquiry questioned her about a photo where Mr. Champagne would shake the hand ofme Li.
-In the process, Alexandra Mendès attacked the RCMP and the police investigation into the two community centers led by Mme Li. “There are some blames to put on the RCMP […] It is sure that [cette enquête] has done a lot of wrong to the organization. Does it use something? I do not believe, “said MP Mendès at the time, in an interview with our investigation office.
Remarks which had been disowned both by Minister Champagne and by the Federal Minister of Public Security at the time, Dominic Leblanc, who reproached him for training himself in an investigation.
A year later, the deputy still lacks prudence when a police investigation is still underway, deplores Margaret McCuaig-Johnston, from China Strategic Risks Institute.
“I find it reckless that a member of the Parliament is in connection with the director of two centers currently under investigation. Heads of the electoral campaign should have told him that it was not appropriate to invite him, “said the latter.
She “marginalizes”
Same observation on the side of Guy Saint-Jacques, former ambassador of Canada to China.
“It’s a bit surprising all that […] It is unfortunate that the deputy continues to associate with this person. Perhaps she has made the political calculation that it is the best way for her to continue to have the support of the Chinese community within her constituency, ”he assumes.
Guy Saint-Jacques, ex-ambassador of Canada in China Screen capture from the Arctic War
“But with all this, she is marginalizing herself within the Liberal Party,” says Saint-Jacques.
The RCMP confirmed to Journal That his investigation into the two alleged “police stations” was still underway. She denied any other comment, since she is currently continued by the Chinese family service in Greater Montreal and the Sino-Quebec Center of the South Shore.
The two community centers brought a pursuit of $ 4.9 million against the police corps, which they accused of having made defamatory remarks in their place last year. The RCMP then obtained that this prosecution was suspended, while it loops its investigation.
• Read also: “Chinese police”: Minister Leblanc Rabroue Liberal MP Mendès
