Trade, electioneering, police cooperation, and risks to Canada’s sovereignty: The Bureau Podcast.

In Brief by Probe International

Listen to this podcast at the publisher’s website here.

February 10: In this episode of The Bureau podcast, Canadian political commentator Brian Lilley joins investigative journalist Sam Cooper to explore a complex web of geopolitical, political, economic, and security issues, all interconnected through the lens of elite-level influence and Chinese foreign interference.

The discussion delivers a blistering critique of Prime Minister Mark Carney’s controversial January 2026 Canada-China “Strategic Partnership,” which Cooper and Lilley argue prioritizes elite profits and short-term economic wins over Canada’s national security and sovereignty. The deal—inked during Carney’s first Beijing visit since 2017—includes slashed tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles (EVs), currency swaps, and deepened ties in energy, and agri-food. The partnership also includes the concerning elements of heightened “media cooperation” and “police/public security cooperation” between Canada and China, which Sam Cooper warns could serve as “Trojan horses” for CCP propaganda and intelligence operations, potentially exposing dissidents to harassment.

The conversation raises key alarms around:

• Spy cars on Canadian roads — Chinese EVs potentially transmitting sensitive data back to Beijing, echoing past fears of intellectual property theft (like the alleged Nortel 5G heist).
• Defying U.S. allies — Carney’s pivot risks straining ties with Washington amid broader geopolitical tensions, as Canada seeks to diversify away from over-reliance on the U.S.
• Foreign interference escalation — Leaked intelligence reports highlight CCP tactics (such as threatening journalists and targeting candidates). The podcast spotlights Conservative hopeful Joe Tay, who faced PRC-linked online smears and bounties during the 2025 election cycle, warning that “media cooperation” clauses could amplify intimidation and narrative control.
• Organized crime nexus — linking a shocking recent Toronto bust—where multiple police officers were arrested for bribery, drug trafficking (including fentanyl), and conspiracy to murder—to transnational networks involving Mexican cartels and CCP influence.

Drawing parallels to China’s sway in U.K. politics under Keir Starmer, Cooper and Lilley portray Carney’s strategy as appeasing China-linked industrialists while navigating domestic pressures in a shifting global order where the CCP aims to erode U.S. dominance through economic leverage and covert operations. The discussion frames these developments as interconnected symptoms of a deeper crisis: elite networks deepening dangerous ties with Beijing, exacerbating foreign meddling, corruption, and security vulnerabilities—all while public confidence in Canada’s institutions frays.

Cooper and Lilley issue a stark call to action, urging Canadians to demand transparency, safeguards, and a unified stand against foreign interference and organized crime before irreversible damage is done. This hard-hitting discussion underscores mounting concerns that Carney’s “pragmatic” recalibration may come at the steep price of national security and democratic resilience.