B.C. Premier calls foreign interference in Vancouver’s mayoral election ‘outrageous’

B.C. Premier David Eby is rejecting any notion that Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim won the November election due to foreign interference.

He also responded to an article published Sunday in The New York Times that was headlined, “Did China Help Vancouver’s Mayor Win Election?”

Eby says it’s “outrageous” to suggest the election of Sim last October was unfair, and the insinuation that the victory was related to Sim’s Chinese heritage made the matter “doubly disturbing.”

“I just want to say how outrageous it is to suggest that Mayor Sim didn’t win the last municipal election,” he said while speaking at a news conference in Victoria.

“I door knocked with Kennedy (Stewart), and I can assure British Columbians that the Vancouver election was won fair and square by Ken Sim, there is just no question about it.”

The premier says he had a meeting with the regional director of Canada’s spy agency over allegations of foreign interference in the province’s elections.

However, he was told he could not receive information because he’s not a “direct client” of the Canadian Security Intelligence Service, which he found “frustrating.”

“I was told that they could not share information with me directly because I’m not under their legislation, a direct client of theirs. The federal government is,” Eby said.

“As frustrating as, obviously, that was to hear, they did take a constructive approach to the meeting.”

Related articles:

• ‘Persona non grata’: Canada expels Chinese diplomat

• B.C. Chinese community tells Mendicino of intimidation by foreign powers and proxies

Eby says he was told the agency was “putting itself in a position” to alert Elections BC if it receives information about foreign meddling.

He says he requested a future meeting with the director of CSIS, David Vigneault, to try to get more information to help his government take action against foreign interference.

The B.C. premier further explains that an agreement has been struck to give the government “advanced notice” so legislation and laws can be brought in for a prompt response.