A “transnational repression operation” is targeting a Conservative candidate who criticizes Hong Kong laws, Canada’s election interference task force stated on Monday. On Facebook, TikTok, and other Chinese-language social media platforms, the campaign to discredit Joe Tay, who is running for the Tories in the Toronto riding of Don Valley North, is taking place. According to the Security and Intelligence Threats to Elections Task Force, the attacks included derogatory headlines and commentary on mock wanted posters depicting Tay. At the final news conference scheduled for the 2025 federal election, the panel revealed to reporters that online search engine manipulation was also being used to disparage Tay. In Hong Kong, where he is wanted by police along with other pro-democracy advocates, Tay is well-known for his opposition to autocratic laws. In a statement, Tay said that the findings of the task force were not new to him or his team. Throughout the course of this campaign, we have seen these “wanted posters” and other threats, and he described the strategies as being in line with those of the Chinese Communist Party. “It is essential that all political parties and leaders clearly oppose this foreign interference.” The task force said that even though engagement with the in question’s content reached its highest point in December 2024, it had increased again during the election campaign and had been linked to Hong Kong authorities. The task force claimed to have “briefed the cleared representative of the Conservative Party about this information operation” and had discussed the matter with the social media companies. In addition, it stated that the “activity is not affecting Canada’s ability to have a free and fair election, including in this riding.” After receiving widespread criticism for suggesting that individuals surrender Tay in exchange for a bounty for his arrest, Liberal candidate Paul Chiang issued an apology and resigned last month. “A series of acts designed to discredit a candidate, silence criticism and dissent, and manipulate information that informs voters,” the task force stated of the online campaign. “Such online content may also be interpreted as a more general warning to voters, who are well aware of the methods of transnational repression used by malicious actors, and may avoid supporting their preferred candidate as a result.” It continued, “This behavior is known as transnational repression, and it will not be tolerated.” It is against the law to alter a voter’s ballot or violate the secrecy of the vote, and “all Canadians should be aware that there are safeguards in place to ensure that everyone’s vote is secret and secure.”
Conservative candidate target of election ‘repression operation,’ task force says
