A parliamentary committee in the House of Commons has decided to investigate the security screening procedures in Canada following the arrest of a Canadian NATO intern on espionage charges in Belgium. The decision to conduct the examination was made after the Conservatives and Bloc Québécois called for an urgent committee meeting to look into the spying accusations against the intern.
During a meeting of the public safety and national security committee, Members of Parliament from various parties agreed to schedule three sessions to delve into the issue once Parliament resumes in September. The committee plans to summon Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree as a witness and may call upon other individuals for testimony. Subsequently, the committee will compile its findings and recommendations for the House.
Although the identity of the defendant in the Belgian criminal investigation remains confidential, a CBC News investigation revealed the intern as Biwei Zhang, a systems engineer with an economics background who was interning at NATO’s Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE) in Mons, Belgium.
The investigation uncovered that Biwei Zhang is the legal name of the suspect, while she goes by Claire Zhang professionally and Catina Zhang on her Facebook profile. Belgian authorities suspect Zhang of espionage on behalf of a foreign country and involvement in a criminal syndicate.
The security clearance required for Zhang’s NATO internship necessitated a thorough background check, which Canadian authorities, specifically the RCMP and CSIS, would have overseen due to her Canadian nationality.
Following the arrest of the alleged spy by Belgian officials, Canada’s public safety minister pledged to investigate the matter thoroughly, emphasizing the gravity of the charges. Prime Minister Mark Carney confirmed that Canadian officials have been engaged in the case from the outset.
CBC News reported that Zhang had previously held positions in various Canadian government departments. The investigation disclosed that she had worked as an economist at Statistics Canada and a systems engineer at the Canadian Space Agency. Additionally, in 2023, the Public Service Commission of Canada found Zhang guilty of fraud related to a job application at the Canada Border Services Agency, leading to a judicial review which was dismissed in 2024.
Zhang’s resumé indicates she also worked at the World Trade Organization in Geneva, the European Space Agency in Italy, and recently completed a master’s degree in computer science specializing in artificial intelligence from the University of Ottawa. Prior to her arrest on charges of espionage and association with a criminal group, Belgian authorities conducted searches at Zhang’s residence and workplace at SHAPE.