Conservative and Bloc MPs are urging an urgent meeting of the House of Commons public safety committee to investigate espionage accusations against a former Canadian intern detained by Belgian authorities for suspected espionage. The allegations have sparked concerns about the effectiveness of Canada’s national security screening procedures, stated Conservative MP Frank Caputo.
The ex-intern, Biwei Zhang, served at NATO’s Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE) in Mons, Belgium. While Belgian officials did not disclose her identity, a CBC News report revealed her as Zhang, a systems engineer with an economics background. Zhang’s online profile indicates past employment at the Canadian Space Agency and Statistics Canada.
Reports from security sources in Europe suggest that Zhang displayed suspicious behavior that attracted the attention of NATO’s internal security services. Allegedly, she showed excessive curiosity about her colleagues, entered restricted areas, and accessed files beyond her job scope in SHAPE’s IT Department.
Zhang is currently in custody in Belgium, with unproven allegations against her. The public safety committee plans to investigate how Zhang obtained the NATO internship, the security screening conducted before her appointment, whether any concerns were raised by Canadian or allied authorities, and the level of supervision during her tenure.
Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree has vowed to address the concerns raised by the incident, emphasizing the need to prevent similar occurrences in the future. Prime Minister Mark Carney has indicated that Canadian security officials were actively involved in the espionage investigation from the outset.