Spies aren’t all suave operators wearing bespoke suits and driving invisible cars (excuse us, we just rewatched Die Another Day). Sometimes they’re just Canadian utility employees.
What happened: The trial of Yuesheng Wang — a former Hydro-Québec employee who in 2022 became the first person ever charged with economic espionage in Canada — began yesterday. Wang pleaded not guilty to four charges related to the theft of corporate secrets.
- Wang was charged through Section 19 of the Security of Information Act, which has been on the books since 2001, but lay dormant, waiting to be called upon.
Catch-up: Wang is accused of spying on behalf of China, using his position as a battery materials researcher at Québec’s public utility to pass on information to Chinese institutions as well as publish scientific articles and file patents in China rather than through his employer.
Why it matters: The trial comes at a time when Canada-China relations are in flux. Ottawa has made clear its intentions to improve economic ties in the face of degrading U.S. relations, but China is still a national security threat continually accused of interference.
- Just this past July, the Canadian Security Intelligence Service confirmed it had issued a notice to government departments and universities about a potential Chinese spy.
Bottom line: A guilty verdict for a Chinese national could upset Beijing and again set back relations; a not guilty verdict and Canada could appear soft on foreign interference.—QH