Minister of Public Safety Gary Anandasangaree delivers remarks at an event in Ottawa, on July 16, 2026. The Canadian Press/Justin Tang
Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree says several agencies are conducting internal investigations in response to a Canadian charged with espionage while working at a NATO base in Belgium, as Conservatives press the government for more answers.
“I don’t want to preempt and influence the investigation that’s taking place in Belgium. We are providing as much information as we can. Concurrently, we are doing an internal review,” Anandasangaree told MPs on the House of Commons national security committee on Oct. 5.
A Canadian woman of Chinese origin, who was serving at NATO’s military headquarters in Belgium,
was arrested onJuly 24 on espionage charges. Belgium’s Federal Prosecutor’s Office had said the woman was “suspected of spying on behalf of a third country and of being a member of a criminal organisation.”
Anandasangaree
had saiddays later that it was “important” to find out what had happened, but that he would not “speculate” on the case. Prime Minister Mark Carney said in early August that Canada had been involved in the investigation “from the start.”
Anandasangaree told the committee that Canada’s security apparatus does a “comprehensive” job screening federal employees, with about 200,000 security-clearance applications processed annually. However, he acknowledged that there are “gaps” in the system that need to be addressed. The government says about half a million people hold some form of security clearance.
Conservative MP Frank Caputo asked several times whether the Department of Public Safety had gotten to “the bottom” of the issue involving the alleged Belgian spy. Anandasangaree said Belgium is leading the investigation and Canadian security officials are co-operating with their Belgian counterparts. He said he hoped the investigation would eventually provide answers.
When Conservative MP Rob Morrison asked which department was accountable for the security-screening issue, Anandasangaree said deputy department heads are responsible for granting security clearances, based in part on information from the Canadian Security Intelligence Service and the RCMP. He said the two agencies have submitted recommendations for reforms to his office, which he is reviewing.
Conservative MP Rhonda Kirkland called the incident a “major security breach” and argued that Anandasangaree, as public safety minister, was ultimately responsible.
“Without pointing to department heads and departments and what they’re doing, what are you doing?” she asked.
Anandasangaree replied that the matter is being investigated by Belgian authorities, which he said limits his ability “to say things publicly in an attempt not to in any way jeopardize that investigation.”
Treasury Board Secretariat and acting assistant Deputy Minister Adam Hatfield
told the committee that applicants for base-level security clearance go through a variety of checks, including criminal-record and credit checks, with higher clearance levels involving more rigorous screening.
English (US) · 
Turkish (TR) · 