Rights activists question safety of testifying at foreign interference inquiry

Some Canadian activists who frequently criticize the Chinese government say they do not feel comfortable testifying at an upcoming public inquiry into foreign interference where two politicians accused of close ties to China have been granted full standing and the ability to cross examine witnesses. Justice Marie-Josée Hogue, the commissioner who heads the inquiry, announced this week that former Ontario trade minister Michael Chan and Independent MP Han Dong would both be granted full standing in the first phase of the hearings, examining foreign interference in the 2019 and 2021 elections. This means they will have the power to cross-examine…