When a group of seven Vancouver-area mayors landed in Beijing in April 2007, they believed they were in China to study eco-friendly development and build trade ties for British Columbia.
But an investigation by Global News raises questions about whether the Canadian mayors were unwittingly drawn into an influence campaign aimed at improving perceptions of China and reducing criticism of human rights abuses.
Billionaire real estate developer and former People’s Liberation Army officer Li Zhe organized the trip and approached then-Port Moody mayor Joe Trasolini and invited him on the all-expenses paid trip to Beijing. Trasolini then forwarded invitations to the other mayors, former North Vancouver mayor Darrell Mussatto told Global News.
The weeklong trip was a whirlwind for the B.C. mayors, Trasolini said. Li Zhe arranged many meetings with mayors from towns and cities surrounding Beijing, and they mingled with their counterparts and enjoyed the best of Chinese cuisine.
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Mussatto said a highlight of the trip was the B.C. delegation’s introduction to Beijing vice-mayor Chen Gang — a senior Chinese Communist Party official — who made a convincing case to the B.C. mayors that China was taking climate change seriously and doing sustainable real estate development.
“I came away impressed that China gets it,” Mussatto said. “Or, at least the vice-mayor of Beijing gets it.”
The delegation also visited a number of Li Zhe’s buildings in Beijing, Trasolini and Mussatto told Global News, including ‘Riverside’ — a mostly unoccupied luxury condo project.
“There was never any suggestion of anything but good relations between the two countries (China and Canada),” Trasolini said.
But members of the religious group Falun Gong — which is persecuted in Mainland China — say they believe Trasolini’s participation in the junket may have influenced his position on the persecuted group.
Falun Gong member Sue Zhang told Global News that Trasolini had been very supportive of her group from 2002 until 2007.
Zhang claimed Trasolini had also informed her once, that a visitor from the Chinese consulate in Vancouver had asked him not to support Falun Gong, but that Trasolini told Zhang he would not be pressured.
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Trasolini acknowledged that Sue Zhang is correct; as Port Moody mayor he started supporting Falun Gong starting in 2002, and the Chinese consulate wasn’t pleased.
“There was a call, we are talking about 2003, or 2004, from the office of the consulate, inquiring about, that I have seen Falun Gong,” Trasolini said. “I remember, definitely they were not in favour. But I wasn’t the sort of person that would be intimidated by a phone call.”
“Unfortunately, he stopped issuing us proclamations after 2007,” Zhang said.
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Trasolini denied his decision to withdraw support from Falun Gong proclamations after 2007 was connected to influence from Li Zhe or the Chinese consulate or Trasolini’s participation in the Beijing junket. And he said he wasn’t asked during the junket to withdraw support of Falun Gong.
Trasolini drew a distinction between his “personal” support for Falun Gong, and official support for the group, as Port Moody’s mayor. Asked repeatedly why he stopped signing Falun Gong month proclamations after 2007, Trasolini said he felt he couldn’t do anymore for the group than he already had done.
“The only thing that might have happened, is there could have been questions (from Sue Zhang), of what I could do more,” Trasolini said.
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Making friends of China
According to a profile story in the People’s Daily — which is the official news organization of the Standing Committee of the Chinese Communist Party — Li Zhe came to Canada with the intention of using his real estate business to persuade Canadian politicians to view China more favorably.
And based on his successful “people-to-people diplomacy” in Vancouver, Li’s pro-China influence campaigns in the West had “been fully affirmed and supported by relevant Beijing authorities.”
“A few years ago, Li Zhe met a Canadian official who had never been to China, but was hostile to China,” the 2011 People’s Daily report said. “In order to change the official’s attitude towards China and give him a chance to meet a real and friendly China, Li Zhe invited him to come and visit China.
“It was that trip to China that completely changed that Canadian official’s one-sided view of China.”
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Since that initial success, Li’s plan to invite 10 foreign mayors to Beijing per year — including leaders from Canada, United States, France and Italy — was in “full swing” the report said.
The People’s Daily story didn’t indicate the Canadian official that Li was referring to, and Li could not be reached in Beijing for comment.
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The Chinese consulate in Vancouver did not answer questions about Li Zhe.
“This individual Li Zhe, he was representing the Chinese municipalities, and he was more of a facilitator,” Trasolini said. “He was there in Beijing, and he seemed very respected. But he kind of fell out of sight, a few years later.”
In interviews regarding the Beijing junket, Trasolini and Mussatto said that in 2007 they had no idea of the information that Global News has learned: Li Zhe is officially connected to China’s so-called “magic weapon” of foreign influence, the United Front Works Department.
‘Magic Weapon’
A Chinese government website says that Li is now vice-chair of the Beijing Overseas Chinese Federation, which according to the government webpage, is directed by elite Chinese Communist officials, and the United Front Works Department.
Official reports from China also connect Li to high-level United Front meetings and Communist officials. However, it isn’t known whether Li was connected to the United Front in 2007, at the time of the Beijing junket.
According to the Financial Times and reports from CSIS and the United States government, the United Front Works Department is one of Beijing’s most powerful intelligence gathering and influence agencies, and the department seeks to control Chinese diaspora populations and foreign leaders.
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The Times investigation — which cited United Front manuals — explained tactics which seem to mirror what Li Zhe aimed to achieve.
Operations in countries including Canada are directed from China’s Politburo, “to charm, co-opt or attack well-defined groups and individuals,” The Times reported, in order “to win support for China’s political agenda, accumulate influence overseas and gather key information.”
The United Front has expanded significantly under Xi Jinping in recent years, in order to press China’s policy in Hong Kong, Xinjiang, Taiwan, and Western nations, Australian academics Alex Joske and Clive Hamilton, told Global News. Hamilton said that Vancouver appears to be a top target for United Front influence operations.
China’s government says that the United Front supports the ideological and policy goals of Xi Jinping, such as the “peaceful reunification of Taiwan” and the promotion of loyalty to the “motherland” among Chinese diaspora populations living in the West. The United Front also promotes stability in Hong Kong, Macau and Xinjiang, China’s government says. But China doesn’t acknowledge that the United Front is involved in clandestine intelligence gathering.
However, a Canadian and Security Intelligence Services source that Global News agreed not to identify said the agency is now increasing counter-intelligence agents to combat China’s influence and espionage operations as a top national security priority — which is a changed focus, after CSIS had prioritized counter-terrorism after the 9/11 attacks.
As for his own involvement, Mussatto said he considered the paid trip to Beijing a great chance to study China’s sustainable development goals, without Canadian taxpayers footing the bill.
Corporate reports from Chinese private wealth research company Hurun, say Li Zhe has a fortune of $2.7 billion and Riverside is his main company.
Trasolini, who has retired from politics, said the new information that Global News has learned about Li Zhe’s background, could provide a cautionary notification to active Canadian politicians.
“From what you have said, the naivety of the time where we were being encouraged to make connections (with China), we took that at face value. In hindsight, it seems like the people of today, need to be careful.”
In an interview with Global News about allegations in this story, Andy Ellis, a former senior official with CSIS, said “if the allegations of these sources are true, which they may very well be, it is a very serious situation.”
Ellis said that the People’s Republic of China “does not respect or recognize the need for sovereignty in foreign states,” and “the Chinese Government’s alleged attempts to influence and even extort local and provincial politicians is neither new, nor surprising.”
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The Chinese Consul General in Vancouver was asked to respond to questions about Li Zhe, and answer whether the consulate had approached Joe Trasolini, and asked him to withdraw his support for a Falun Gong day proclamation.
The consulate did not answer detailed questions but provided this statement.
“Falun Gong is a cult organisation which was banned by the Chinese government by the law. They are tricksters who are deceiving everywhere, including Canada and engage in anti- China separation activities.
The Consulate General of the People’s Republic of China in Vancouver has been devoted to the promotion of exchanges and cooperation in all areas between B.C., Yukon and China, deepening the understanding and friendship between the two peoples.”
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — The Tampa Bay Lightning selected Victor Hedman as the team captain on Wednesday as training camp opened, making the big defenseman the successor to Steven Stamkos.
Hedman, who is going into his 16th season with Tampa Bay, was considered the obvious choice to get the “C” after the Lightning did not re-sign Stamkos and their longtime captain left to join Nashville.
“Victor is a cornerstone player that is extremely well respected by his teammates, coaches and peers across the NHL,” general manager Julien BriseBois said. “Over the past 15 seasons, he has been a world-class representative for our organization both on and off the ice. Victor embodies what it means to be a member of the Tampa Bay Lightning and is more than ready for this exciting opportunity. We are looking forward to watching him flourish in his new role as we continue to work towards our goal of winning the Stanley Cup.”
The 33-year-old from Sweden was a key contributor in the Lightning hoisting the Cup back to back in 2020 and ’21, including playoff MVP honors on the first of those championship runs. Hedman also took home the Norris Trophy as the NHL’s top defenseman in 2018 and finished in the top three in voting five other seasons.
Ryan McDonagh, who was reacquired early in the offseason in a trade with the Predators, and MVP finalist Nikita Kucherov will serve as alternate captains with the Lightning moving on to the post-Stamkos era.
TORONTO – While Toronto FC is looking to improve its position on the pitch, general manager Jason Hernandez is trying to do the same off it.
That has been easier said than done this season.
Sending winger Jahkeele Marshall-Rutty to CF Montreal for up to $1.3 million (all dollar figures in U.S. funds) in general allocation money before the secondary transfer window closed in early August helped set the stage for future moves.
But there have been plenty of obstacles, which Hernandez has been working to clear.
“We feel a lot more confident going into this upcoming off-season that we did the one prior,” said Hernandez. “There’s a level of what I would say booby-traps that were uncovered when I first got the (GM) role at the end of last summer.”
The club is paying off departed forwards Adam Diomande and Ayo Akinola as well as a $500,000 payment due in 2024 to Belgium’s Anderlecht for Jamaican international defender Kemar Lawrence. That payment was part of the transfer fee for Lawrence, who joined TFC from Anderlecht in May 2021 and was traded to Minnesota United in March 2022.
Diomande was waived while Akinola’s contract was terminated by mutual agreement.
“That comes to an end in ’25, which is nice,” said Hernandez. “We had to suffer from a salary cap perspective this season. But those things coming off, the Jahkeele Marshall-Rutty money coming in, we’re going to be in a position to make some good additions, which is positive.”
While MLS clubs are allowed one contract buyout per year, Toronto had already used its on former captain Michel Bradley, who retired after last season. Bradley had previously restructured his contract, deferring money.
TFC’s only other move during the summer transfer window was the signing of free-agent defender Henry Wingo. Hernandez said the club knew going into the window that it was likely limited to the one acquisition “unless other business happened”
“We knew we had this bucket of money and we knew we were going to go get Henry,” said Hernandez.
While the sale of the highly touted Marshall-Rutty opened up other possibilities, it came on the eve of the transfer window closing. And the team did not like what it saw in the free-agent market.
“A lot of the opportunities we were presented in the free agency space felt more like a short-term, Band-Aid decision versus what actually the club probably needs.”
Hernandez was not willing to take in players who came with a “club-friendly” salary cap charge in 2024 and a much bigger number in 2025.
Instead, Toronto promoted forward Charlie Sharp and wingback Nate Edwards to the first team from TFC 2 ahead of last Friday’s roster freeze.
MLS teams are operating on a salary budget of $5.47 million this season, which covers up to 20 players on the senior roster (clubs can elect to spread that number across 18 players). But the league has several mechanisms that allow those funds to go further, including using allocation money (both general and targeted) to buy down salaries.
Designated players only count $683,750 — the maximum salary charge — against the cap no matter their actual pay. Toronto’s Lorenzo Insigne is actually earning $15.4 million with fellow Italian Federico Bernardeschi collecting $6.295 million and Canadian Richie Laryea $1.208 million.
Hernandez says Laryea’s contract can — and “very likely” will — be restructured so as to remove the designated player status.
There are benefits in going with just two designated players rather than three.
Teams that elect to go with two DPs can sign up to four players as part of the league’s “U22 Initiative.” The pluses of that structure include a reduced salary cap charge for the young players and up to an extra $2 million in general allocation money.
Hernandez says the club is currently pondering whether that is the way to go.
Captain Jonathan Osorio who is earning $836,370 this season, restructured his deal to allow the team to sign Laryea as a DP. In doing so, Osorio had his option year guaranteed so his contact runs through 2026.
Hernandez and coach John Herdman will have decisions to make come the end of the year.
The contracts of goalkeeper Greg Ranjitsingh ($94,200), defenders Kevin Long ($277,500), Shane O’Neill ($413,000) and Kobe Franklin ($100,520), midfielder Alonso Coello ($94,050) and Brandon Servania ($602,710), and forward Prince Owusu ($807,500) — all on the club’s senior roster — expire at the end of 2024 with club options to follow.
While there is more work to do, Hernandez believes TFC is on the right road.
Toronto, which finished last in the league at 4-20-10 in 2023, went into Wednesday’s game against visiting Columbus in a playoff position at eighth in the East at 11-15-3.
“By every metric, we are miles ahead of where we were at this point last year,” said Hernandez.
“That’s a low bar, so that’s not saying much,” he added.
But he believes TFC is “quite competitive” when it has all its players at its disposal.
“To get results in this final stretch, we’re going to need our prominent players to really show up and have big performances, and be supported by the rest of the cast.”
After Columbus, TFC plays at Colorado and Chicago and hosts the New York Red Bulls and Inter Miami. The club also travels to Vancouver for the Canadian Championship final.
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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 18, 2024
Mackenzie Hughes might just be what the International team needs as this year’s Presidents Cup.
Hughes, from Dundas, Ont., is one of three Canadians on the squad competing in the match-play event at Royal Montreal Golf Club next week.
His putting skills, cool demeanour under pressure, pre-existing connections with teammates and clubhouse leadership could help the team — made up of non-American players outside Europe — end a nine-tournament losing skid to the United States at the biennial event.
“I’ve had this one circled on the calendar for a few years now,” said Hughes on joining fellow Canadians Taylor Pendrith and Corey Conners as captain’s picks on the 12-player International team. “I pretty much knew that when it was announced the tournament would be in Canada and that Mike Weir was going to be the captain, you pretty much knew where that was going to go.
“To get that call from (Weir) is really special because he’s the guy that I looked up to, we all looked up to, as Canadian golfers.”
Pendrith and Conners are returning to the team after a disappointing 17 1/2 to 12 1/2 loss to the United States at Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte, N.C. in 2022.
Hughes was ranked 14th on the International team standings in 2022 and could have easily been included on that squad after Australia’s Cameron Smith and Chile’s Joaquin Niemann were ruled ineligible after jumping ship to the rival LIV Golf circuit.
However, captain Trevor Immelman of South Africa instead chose the lower ranked Christiaan Bezuidenhout (16th) of South Africa, Pendrith (18th), South Korea’s Kim Si-woo (20th) and Australia’s Cameron Davis (25th).
“I certainly wanted to be on that team but also I understood the picks,” said Hughes, who lives in Charlotte and plays at Quail Hollow regularly. “I think that like a lot of guys that don’t get picked you more so look back on your own play and I wish I had made that selection easier for them.
“I didn’t do myself any favours in the six weeks leading up to it and that’s a hard pill to swallow.”
It may have been a costly oversight on Immelman’s part, as finishing holes was an issue for the International team in 2022 and Hughes is one of the best putters on the PGA Tour. This season he’s third in shots gained around the green and fifth in shots gained from putting.
“It doesn’t mean that just because I was there it would have turned the tide, but I’d like to think maybe I could have helped,” said Hughes. “That’s why you play the matches. You have to get out there and do it.”
This year Hughes made it easier for Weir, the Canadian golf legend from Brights Grove, Ont., to choose him. Hughes is 51st in the FedEx Cup Fall standings and has made the cut seven tournaments in a row, including a tie for fourth at last week’s Procore Championship.
“Mac played very solidly all year. Really like his short game, an all-around short game,” said Weir on Sept. 3 after announcing his captain’s picks. “He’s one of the elite and best short game guys on the PGA Tour
“I also love Mac’s grit. So that was the reason I picked him.”
Hughes’s intangible qualities go beyond grit.
He, Pendrith and Conners will arrive at Royal Montreal as a unit within the International squad, having become close friends while playing on Kent State University’s men’s golf team before turning pro. They’re also part of a group of Canadians, including Nick Taylor and Adam Hadwin of Abbotsford, B.C., that regularly practice together before PGA Tour events.
“To have those guys with me is really icing on the cake, it’s very special,” said Hughes. “Opportunities like this don’t come around very often: to play this kind of team competition, which is already hard to do, but to play with some of your best friends, it almost seems scripted.”
An 11-year professional, Hughes has also been a member of the PGA Tour’s player advisory council the past two years and has been an outspoken advocate for making professional golf more accessible to fans.
Although Weir relied heavily on analytics to make his captain’s selections, Hughes’s character came up again and again when asked why he was named to the team.
“I just have a gut feeling with Mac that he has what it takes in these big moments,” said Weir. “They’re big pressure moments, and I have a feeling he’s going to do great in those moments.”
DP WORLD TOUR — Aaron Cockerill of Stony Mountain, Man., continues his chase for a spot in the Europe-based DP World Tour’s playoffs. The top 50 players on the Race to Dubai standings make the DP World Tour Championship and Cockerill moved eight spots up to 39th in the rankings after tying for ninth at last week’s Irish Open. He’ll be back at it on Thursday at the BMW PGA Championship at the Wentworth Club in Surrey, England.
KORN FERRY TOUR — Myles Creighton of Digby, N.S., is ranked 38th on the second-tier Korn Ferry Tour’s points list. He leads the Canadian contingent into this week’s Nationwide Children’s Hospital Championship. He’ll be joined at Ohio State University Golf Club — Scarlet Course in Columbus, Ohio by Edmonton’s Wil Bateman (53rd), Etienne Papineau (65th) of St-Jean-Sur-Richelieu, Que., and Sudarshan Yellamaraju (99th) of Mississauga, Ont.
CHAMPIONS TOUR — Calgary’s Stephen Ames is the lone Canadian at this week’s Pure Insurance Championship. He’s No. 2 on the senior circuit’s points list. The event will start Friday and be played at Pebble Beach Golf Links and Spyglass Hill Golf Course in Monterey, Calif.
LPGA TOUR — There are four Canadians in this week’s Kroger City Championship. Savannah Grewal (97th in the Race to CME Globe Rankings) of Mississauga, Ont., Hamilton’s Alena Sharp (115th), and Maude-Aimee Leblanc (142nd) of Sherbrooke, Que., will all tee it up at TPC River’s Bend in Maineville, Ohio.
EPSON TOUR — Vancouver’s Leah John is the low Canadian heading into the Murphy USA El Dorado Shootout. She’s 54th in the second-tier tour’s points list. She’ll be joined by Maddie Szeryk (118th) of London, Ont., and Brigitte Thibault (119th) of Rosemere, Que., at Mystic Creek Golf Club in El Dorado, Ark.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 18, 2024.
