The House of Commons committee has decided to review Canada’s security screening procedures following the arrest of a Canadian NATO intern by Belgian authorities on charges of espionage. This decision follows calls from the Conservatives and Bloc Québécois for an urgent committee meeting to investigate the spying allegations against the intern.
During a meeting of the public safety and national security committee, Members of Parliament from various parties agreed to prioritize three sessions to delve into the issue when Parliament reconvenes in September. The committee plans to summon Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree and any other relevant witnesses, with the aim of presenting their findings and recommendations to the House.
While the identity of the defendant in the Belgian criminal investigation has not been officially disclosed, a CBC News investigation revealed that the accused spy is Biwei Zhang, a systems engineer with an economics background who was interning at NATO’s Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE) in Mons, Belgium.
It was discovered that Biwei Zhang is the legal name of the suspect, who professionally goes by Claire Zhang and uses the name Catina Zhang on her Facebook profile. Belgian authorities suspect Zhang of spying for a foreign country and being associated with a criminal group.
Conservative public safety critic Frank Caputo raised concerns about the security screening processes in Canada in light of these allegations, urging for parliamentary scrutiny to examine how an individual accused of espionage managed to secure an internship within a crucial military alliance.
The internship at NATO that Zhang obtained required a rigorous security clearance, a process overseen by Canadian authorities such as the RCMP and CSIS due to Zhang’s Canadian nationality.
Following the arrest of the alleged spy by Belgian officials, Canada’s public safety minister pledged to thoroughly investigate the matter, emphasizing the seriousness of the charges. Prime Minister Mark Carney confirmed Canadian involvement in the case from the outset.
CBC News investigation uncovered Zhang’s past roles within various Canadian government departments, including positions at Statistics Canada and the Canadian Space Agency. In 2023, she was found to have committed fraud by applying for a role at the Canada Border Services Agency under different identities, leading to a legal dispute that was dismissed by a federal judge in 2024.
Zhang’s professional background also includes stints at the World Trade Organization in Geneva and the European Space Agency in Italy, in addition to recently completing a master’s degree in computer science specializing in artificial intelligence from the University of Ottawa.
Prior to her arrest on espionage and criminal organization charges, Belgian authorities searched Zhang’s home and workplace at SHAPE, as stated in a release from the country’s Federal Prosecutor’s Office.