CaliToday (24/11/2025): A former national security analyst and federal policy advisor in Canada has released a bombshell book, "Under Assault: Interference and Espionage in China’s Secret War Against Canada," detailing how Beijing has allegedly conducted a quiet, multi-decade campaign to embed influence, manipulate politics, steal technology, and suppress dissident voices right on Canadian soil.
Author Dennis Molinaro, drawing on intelligence documents and extensive interviews with politicians, diplomats, civil servants, and members of the Chinese diaspora, paints a devastating picture of state failure. He contends that Ottawa created an environment “open to interference” based on the naïve belief that trade liberalization with China would inevitably lead to democratic and rule-of-law reforms in Beijing. Instead, under the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), China viewed Canada as fertile ground to advance its economy, bolster its military, and pave the way for its ultimate ambition: displacing the United States as the world's leading superpower.
The Deliberate Blind Spot
Molinaro asserts that Canadian policymakers were not ignorant of Beijing’s activities, but simply "refused to believe" the persistent warnings from their own intelligence agencies.
Ignored Warnings: Evidence of interference operations had been provided by the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) for years. Yet, according to the official Hogue Inquiry report, these warnings were largely disregarded.
Intelligence Frustration: Former CSIS strategic analyst Phil Gurski confirmed this frustration, stating that Canada had more than enough evidence of Beijing’s hostile activities, yet the government "did nothing." This inaction created the security vulnerability that Beijing exploited.
Suppressing the "Five Poisons" on Canadian Soil
The book dedicates significant attention to how Beijing systematically targets groups designated as the "Five Poisons"—democracy advocates, Taiwanese, Tibetans, Uyghurs, and practitioners of Falun Gong—within Canada.
Members of these communities in Canada routinely experience severe harassment:
Intimidation Tactics: They report receiving phishing emails, being subjected to smear campaigns within their communities, and facing overt threats, surveillance, and psychological terrorism.
Targeting Falun Gong: International human rights organizations have documented the CCP’s horrific persecution of Falun Gong practitioners, including torture, imprisonment, forced labor, and even the horrific practice of state-sanctioned organ harvesting.
Life in Fear: Hong Kongers in Canada recount living in fear, receiving threats of rape and murder, being followed on the streets, and even monitoring their apartments for surveillance. Many avoid discussing politics over the phone or in public settings, fearing neighbors may report them to Beijing’s agents. Uyghur activists report similar encounters, being shadowed by unmarked SUVs and receiving threats just before public appearances.
For many, being monitored by a foreign regime on Canadian soil has tragically become "a normal part of life."
The "Back Door" Strategy Against the United States
Molinaro's ultimate conclusion is stark: Beijing does not view Canada as a primary rival, but rather as the "back door" a critical vulnerability through which to influence and circumvent the United States.
Canada is seen as the weaker, more easily manipulated link and an ideal testing ground for the CCP’s influence tactics, ranging from political corruption to community control. The author warns that if Canada continues its policy of negligence, it will become one of the most significant "strategic stepping stones" in Beijing’s long-term war to dismantle the U.S.-led democratic global order.