On April 1, the Privy Council Office of Canada stated that the popular news account “You Li Er You Mian (有理儿有面)” on the Chinese social media platform WeChat is spreading false information about Canadian prime ministerial candidate Mark Carney, aiming to influence the federal election set for April 28. According to the Privy Council Office, this coordinated disinformation campaign is specifically targeting the Chinese-Canadian community, “amplifying negative narratives about Carney, primarily questioning his background and professional competence,” in an attempt to manipulate Chinese-Canadian voters.
Canada had approximately 1.7 million Chinese-Canadian residents as of the 2021 census, accounting for 4.7 percent of the total Canadian population. The Chinese-Canadian vote holds significant sway in key electoral districts of major cities such as Toronto and Vancouver. The Canadian government had already issued a warning last month about the potential for Chinese Communist Party (CCP) interference in the upcoming federal election.
Reports indicate that Canadian intelligence agencies have identified links between the identified WeChat account and the CCP. The account in question previously carried out similar malicious campaigns against senior Canadian political figures in June 2023 and January 2025. Its editorial content has also been republished by Chinese state media outlets such as People’s Daily and Global Times.
Source: Radio Free Asia, April 8, 2025
https://www.rfa.org/mandarin/zhengzhi/waijiao/2025/04/08/canada-says-wechat-news-account-pushing-false-narratives-about-carney/