Chinese police stations: RCMP sued for $4.9 million

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After Ontario and British Columbia, the RCMP confirmed in March 2023 that it was investigating the presence of two clandestine Chinese “police stations” in Quebec.

The Canadian Press

Two Chinese community organizations in the Montreal area and their director are filing a defamation suit against the RCMP for claiming that “posts of Chinese government clandestine police” operated from their premises.

The lawyers of the Chinese Family Service of the Grand Montréal, the Center Sino Québec de la Rive-Sud, in Brossard, and Xixi Li, general director of these two organizations, assert in their lawsuit that the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) acted wrongfully when' she publicly revealed that these groups were under police investigation.

Being targeted like “police stations” Chinese by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police condemns the applicants in public opinion and made them “guilty”, even before formal charges were filed, we read in the application instituting proceedings in Superior Court.

The plaintiffs argue that the RCMP adopted a cavalier approach which knowingly failed to take their rights into account. Furthermore, the plaintiffs claim not only that the allegations against them are unfounded but also that the RCMP failed to provide them with evidence to support its claims or, at least, to explain the general nature of his evidence.

To date, the RCMP investigation has not resulted in any charges.

The manner in which the existence of the investigation into the applicants was publicly disclosed reflects an indifference on the part of the defendant as to the accuracy of the information conveyed, a lack of diligence in the exercise of his duties and a total lack of consideration as to the damage resulting from the disclosure of this information on the reputation and the status of the applicants, argue the lawyers.

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The organizations claim they had no idea they were being targeted. investigation, making it difficult to respond to media allegations because they did not know what they were being accused of.

The plaintiffs point out that the RCMP failed to conduct a thorough investigation before publicly accusing them, among other things, of being affiliated with the Chinese Communist Party and of participating with the latter in foreign interference in Canada.

The lawsuit alleges that the RCMP never spoke to Ms. Li – even though some members of the agencies' boards spoke to the police – and that no one ever spoke to her. never asked both groups to cease their activities.

The organizations claim to provide services to newcomers, including French classes and job search assistance, as well as to seniors in the Chinese community. They estimate that the RCMP's allegations cost them $3.2 million.

They also claim that government subsidies were cut and the tenant of a Montreal building belonging to one of the organizations terminated his lease.

Including moral and punitive damages, Ms. Li and the two organizations are seeking more than $4.9 million from the federal police. The RCMP did not immediately respond to a request for comment Wednesday.

In December, these agencies announced that they were filing a civil suit for $2.5 million.

La GRC confirmed in 2023 that it was conducting an investigation following allegations that Chinese government officials had operated clandestine police stations from the facilities of these two Montreal organizations.< /p>

RCMP officers said at the time that these Chinese police stations were being used to put pressure on members of the Chinese community in Canada, sometimes by threatening their friends or relatives in China.

The police said they were also investigating similar allegations regarding clandestine Chinese police stations in Vancouver and Toronto.

In December, an RCMP spokeswoman said the investigation was still ongoing and that some of the activities under investigation were taking place at locations where legitimate services were also offered to the Chinese-Canadian community.