A federal investigation is scheduled to hear the testimony of the independent MP amid allegations of foreign interference in Canadian elections.

Han Dong left the Liberal party caucus after he was alleged to have willingly participated in Chinese interference efforts and won his seat with Beijing’s help in 2019 – allegations he denies.

Special rapporteur David Johnston found last May that there were "irregularities" noted in Dong’s 2019 nomination and "reasonable suspicions" that these irregularities were linked to the Chinese consulate in Toronto, but Dong was unaware of these issues.

Dong is scheduled to testify this afternoon, along with former Ontario government minister Michael Chan, who now serves as deputy mayor of Markham, Ontario.

Chan is suing the CIA and others over allegations that the intelligence agency surveilled him and had concerns about inappropriate activities with Chinese officials.

This morning, the campaign directors for the Liberals, Conservatives, and the New Democratic Party will testify before the committee.

The investigation will hear from Walid Suleiman, co-chair of the Conservatives’ 2021 election campaign, as well as Azam Ismail, who managed the Liberal campaign that year, and the New Democratic Party’s national director Ann McGrath.

This afternoon, the investigation is set to hear from Chan, followed by Dong’s former chief of staff Ted Lojko, then Dong himself.

The hearings are part of the work of the inquiry looking into possible foreign interference by China, India, Russia, and other countries in the recent federal election.

"Our Concerns Were Not Taken Seriously"

Suleiman was the Conservative representative on the task force on election security and intelligence threats during the 2021 race, and said the party was never informed of any threats to the electoral process.

He wrote on social media in February 2023: "Our party saw clear signs of manipulation in the elections by a large number of Chinese diaspora. Our concerns were not taken seriously at all."

Former national security advisor Judy Thomas testified that the government responded to Suleiman's concerns, and nothing was found to suggest that "the purges he was concerned about were affected by foreign interference attempts."

The inquiry committee, led by Quebec judge Marie Josée Hogue, expects to hear testimony from more than 40 people, including community members, political party representatives, and federal election officials.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, members of his government, and many senior government officials are also expected to attend the hearings, which are scheduled to conclude on April 10.

The committee’s preliminary report on its findings is scheduled to be released on May 3.

The investigation will then turn to broader political issues, examining the government’s ability to detect, deter, and respond to foreign interference. The final report is expected by the end of the year.