A parliamentary committee in the House of Commons has agreed to investigate the security screening procedures in Canada following the arrest of a Canadian NATO intern by Belgian authorities on espionage charges. The decision was made after the Conservatives and Bloc Québécois called for an urgent committee meeting to look into the spying allegations against the intern.
During a meeting of the public safety and national security committee on Monday, 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 as a witness and any other necessary individuals. The findings and recommendations from the investigation will be presented to the House.
While the identity of the defendant in the Belgian court case remains undisclosed, a CBC News inquiry revealed the accused spy as Biwei Zhang, a systems engineer with an economic background who was interning at NATO’s Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE) in Mons, Belgium.
It was confirmed through the investigation that Biwei Zhang is the legal name of the suspect, while she professionally goes by Claire Zhang and uses the name Catina Zhang on her Facebook profile. Belgian authorities suspect Zhang of espionage on behalf of a foreign nation and involvement in a criminal syndicate.
Questions have been raised regarding Canada’s security screening processes as Conservative public safety critic Frank Caputo urged for parliamentary oversight due to the severity of the accusations against Zhang. Caputo emphasized the need to review how an individual accused of spying managed to secure an internship within a significant military alliance of Canada and the security measures in place during that time.
The NATO internship required Zhang to undergo a thorough security clearance, a background check typically conducted by Canadian authorities such as the RCMP and CSIS, given her Canadian nationality.
Following the arrest of the alleged spy by Belgian officials, Canada’s Public Safety Minister pledged to thoroughly investigate the matter, acknowledging the gravity of the charges. Prime Minister Mark Carney mentioned that Canadian officials have been actively involved in the case from the outset. Carney stated that due to the ongoing investigation, he is limited in providing further details.
CBC News uncovered that the former NATO intern had previously held positions in various Canadian government departments. Zhang had worked as an economist at Statistics Canada and as a systems engineer at the Canadian Space Agency. In a separate incident in 2023, the Public Service Commission of Canada found Zhang guilty of fraud for applying to a position at the Canada Border Services Agency under different identities and failing to clarify the situation, leading to the dismissal of her application by a federal judge in 2024.
Zhang’s professional history also includes roles at the World Trade Organization in Geneva and the European Space Agency in Italy. She recently completed a master’s degree in computer science specializing in artificial intelligence from the University of Ottawa. The day before the arrest, Belgian authorities conducted searches at Zhang’s residence and workplace at SHAPE on charges of espionage and involvement in a criminal organization.