The focus remains on the ability of two Chinese scientists at the Winnipeg National Microbiology Laboratory to transmit classified information back to China while conducting research in Canada.
Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre has vehemently criticized Prime Minister Justin Trudeau for his refusal to disclose any of the 600 pages of documents related to the dismissal of the two scientists, Dr. Xiangguo Qiu and her husband Keding Cheng.
The Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) had identified them as individuals transmitting classified documents and materials to China, including to the People's Liberation Army. These documents were only made public last month.
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Initially, when Conservative members of the ethics committee sought to launch an investigation into the suspected espionage, Liberal and NDP members joined forces to block the move.
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However, on Tuesday, members of the Special Committee on the Canada-People's Republic of China Relationship Committee agreed to proceed with the inquiry.
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Poilievre has accused Prime Minister Trudeau of calling a snap election in 2021 to evade scrutiny over the scandal. Conservative foreign affairs critic Michael Chong highlighted that the investigation aims to delve into the breach of national security and the alleged concealment of document release by the Liberal government over a two-year period.
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Chong emphasized, "I believe strongly that the committee is the right place to examine these documents, the right place to hold the government accountable and the right place for us to hear from witnesses and to produce a report with recommendations."
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The committee plans to summon Minister of Health Mark Holland, Minister of Public Safety Dominic LeBlanc, CSIS director David Vigneault, the prime minister's national security adviser Nathalie Drouin, and directors from the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) for questioning.
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In a letter from January 2021, CSIS highlighted that "Ms. Qiu developed deep, cooperative relationships with a variety of People's Republic of China institutions and has intentionally transferred scientific knowledge and materials to China in order to benefit the PRC government." The committee intends to hold two meetings per week for the investigation, commencing after the Easter break when Parliament reconvenes.
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While Liberals on the committee dismissed the investigation as partisan politics, the Bloc Québécois and the NDP have aligned with the Conservative approach of conducting extensive meetings and hearing from numerous witnesses.
Liberal MP Yasir Naqvi cautioned against the inquiry devolving into a political spectacle, emphasizing the need for a serious and non-partisan examination of the matter.
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