Ottawa, April 7, 2025 — Canadian security agencies have raised the alarm over a suspected foreign interference campaign linked to Beijing, aimed at discrediting Liberal Party leader Mark Carney ahead of the 45th General Election.
According to a statement released by the Security and Intelligence Threats to Elections (SITE) Task Force, a Chinese Communist Party-affiliated WeChat news account, Youli-Youmian, has been actively engaged in an online information operation targeting Carney. The campaign reportedly seeks to sway Chinese-speaking voters in Canada through coordinated and misleading narratives.
The SITE Task Force observed suspicious spikes in inauthentic activity on March 10 and March 25, 2025. In one instance, Youli-Youmian first amplified Carney’s diplomatic stance with the U.S. before shifting tone to question his experience and suitability for leadership. These posts gained between 85,000 to 130,000 interactions, with estimated reach as high as 3 million views — exceeding even the engagement of some Chinese state media outlets.
Security officials confirmed that the operation is part of a broader pattern. The same account previously targeted Conservative MP Michael Chong in 2023 and Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland earlier this year. Officials say such activity represents a serious threat to Canada’s democratic integrity.
The Liberal Party has been briefed on the findings, and federal authorities plan to raise the issue with Tencent, the parent company of WeChat, over misuse of the platform for foreign interference.
In light of this development, the Canadian government is urging the public to verify online information and rely on credible news sources as the election campaign intensifies. Investigations into the extent of the operation are ongoing.