Former Ontario minister sues CSIS, unidentified leakers, reporters
A former Ontario cabinet minister is suing the Canadian Security Intelligence Service and unidentified employees who he alleges leaked classified information with the intent of harming his reputation.
Michael Chan has alleged the anonymous employees' actions were influenced by "a stereotypical type-casting of immigrants born in China as being somehow untrustworthy."
Chan, a former cabinet minister in the former Ontario Liberal government and now a deputy mayor in Markham, Ont., is also suing the Crown, the attorney general of Canada, the CSIS director and two journalists who have written stories on Chan based on leaked classified information.
The journalists include Global News reporter Sam Cooper. The media outlet defended his work.
"Global News spoke with highly qualified sources on multiple occasions and made painstaking efforts to verify the information prepared by senior intelligence officials, many of whom have spent decades investigating security threats to Canada," said a spokesperson for Global News.
"Our sources risked their careers and livelihoods to warn Canadians about the extent to which the People's Republic of China was interfering in Canada's democratic processes and government institutions. We believe in the integrity of our journalism in all the reporting in this series, and the critical role it plays in seeking accountability and transparency on issues vital to the public interest."
Chan said the stories inaccurately implicated him in allegations of election interference and he is seeking a total of $10 million in damages.
No statements of defence have yet been filed.
The claims have not been proven in court.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 29, 2023.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Western University researchers unlock potential 'cure' for ALS
New research out of London, Ont.'s Western University is shedding light on a potential cure for ALS, in which the targeting of the interaction between two proteins can halt or fully reverse the disease's progression.
Police release 3D images of young child found in an Ontario river two years ago
Police have released a three-dimensional image of a young child whose remains were discovered in the Grand River in Dunnville, Ont. almost two years ago.
B.C. brings in law on name changes on day that child killer's new identity revealed
The BC NDP have tabled legislation aimed at stopping people who have committed certain heinous acts from changing their names.
Kamala Harris drops F-bomb during White House live-stream
U.S. Vice-President Kamala Harris used a profanity on Monday while offering advice to young Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders about how to break through barriers.
B.C. man fighting for refund after finding someone living at Whistler vacation rental
Edwin Mostered spent thousands of dollars booking a vacation home in Whistler, B.C., for a group skiing trip earlier this year – or so he thought.
Avs forward Valeri Nichushkin suspended at least six months
Colorado Avalanche forward Valeri Nichushkin was suspended for at least six months without pay and placed in Stage 3 of the league's player assistance program.
Collapsed Baltimore bridge span comes down with a boom after crews set off chain of explosives
Crews conducted a controlled demolition Monday to break down the largest remaining span of the collapsed Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore.
Security video caught admitted serial killer disposing of bodies in Winnipeg garbage bins
Security video caught admitted serial killer Jeremy Skibicki on multiple late-night outings, disposing of body parts in nearby garbage bins and dumpsters in the middle of the night.
Mortgage companies could intensify the next recession, U.S. officials warn
U.S. officials worry the next recession could be intensified by a cascading series of failures in the mortgage industry caused by crashing home prices, frozen financial markets and soaring delinquencies.