A parliamentary committee in the House of Commons has decided to review Canada’s security screening procedures following the arrest of a Canadian NATO intern by Belgian authorities on espionage charges. This decision was made after the Conservatives and Bloc Québécois urged for an emergency committee meeting to investigate the spying allegations against the intern.
During the public safety and national security committee meeting, Members of Parliament from different parties agreed to prioritize holding three sessions to delve into the issue when Parliament reconvenes in September. The committee plans to summon Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree to testify and may call on other witnesses as necessary. Subsequently, the committee will present its findings and recommendations to the House.
Although the identity of the defendant in the criminal probe conducted by Belgian courts is usually not disclosed until the trial, a CBC News investigation revealed the accused as Biwei Zhang, a systems engineer with an economics background who was interning at NATO’s Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE) in Mons, Belgium.
Biwei Zhang, also known professionally as Claire Zhang and as Catina Zhang on Facebook, is suspected by Belgian authorities of spying for a foreign country and being affiliated with a criminal group.
The security clearance required for the NATO internship obtained by Zhang involved a thorough background check, which Canadian authorities, specifically the RCMP and CSIS, would have been responsible for conducting due to her Canadian nationality.
Conservative public safety critic Frank Caputo emphasized the need for parliamentary oversight in light of the serious allegations against Zhang, raising concerns about the security screening, information sharing, and monitoring processes in place at the time of her internship.
Following the arrest of the alleged spy, Canada’s Public Safety Minister pledged to investigate the matter thoroughly, acknowledging the gravity of the charges. Prime Minister Mark Carney confirmed that Canadian officials have been actively engaged in the case since the beginning.
CBC News uncovered Zhang’s employment history within various Canadian government departments, including roles as an economist at Statistics Canada and a systems engineer at the Canadian Space Agency. In the past, Zhang was found to have committed fraud during an application process at the Canada Border Services Agency, leading to a judicial review and subsequent dismissal of her application in 2024.
Zhang’s professional background also includes positions at the World Trade Organization in Geneva and the European Space Agency in Italy. She recently completed a master’s degree in computer science with a specialization in artificial intelligence from the University of Ottawa.
The day before her arrest on charges of espionage and involvement in a criminal organization, Belgian authorities conducted searches at Zhang’s residence and workplace at SHAPE, as per a statement from the Federal Prosecutor’s Office of Belgium.