Friday, 28 November 2025

An RCMP officer and a retired Vancouver cop say not even police are safe from high-tech spyware

 

An RCMP officer and a retired Vancouver cop say not even police are safe from high-tech spyware

Pair allege RCMP used phone-hacking technology on them as witnesses in ongoing foreign interference case

 
Kevin Maimann · CBC News ·
A man's face is reflected in a cellphone.
Retired Vancouver police officer Paul McNamara, seen reflected in his phone in New Westminster, B.C., last week, says the RCMP’s use of phone-hacking spyware has become a ‘disaster.’ He and a current RCMP officer say the technology was used on them in a case where they were witnesses. (Ben Nelms/CBC)

Retired Vancouver police officer Paul McNamara was out with his family in August 2023 when he had a phone conversation with a friend, Ontario RCMP officer Pete Merrifield.

As he talked, he noticed his phone became unusually hot, "like it was about to melt down."

At the time, McNamara, who retired from the Vancouver Police Department in 2016, was on vacation in Montreal. When he tried to order an Uber, he says his phone was locked due to "too many password attempts."

He found it odd, but brushed it off as a glitch.

Then, that fall, he learned that the national police force had used controversial spyware called an On-Device Investigative Tool (ODIT) to remotely hack into his and Merrifield's phones. This was revealed thanks to evidence in an ongoing court case involving another former RCMP officer where McNamara and Merrifield were witnesses.

McNamara says ODITs allow police to read messages on a person's phone in real time, even on encrypted apps like Signal, but two-step authentication can still otherwise block access to data on certain apps that would require police to know the person's password.

While concerns from privacy advocates and human rights groups have focused on these tools being used to spy on journalists and other citizens, in this case spyware was used on a current and former police officer who say they were only ever told they were witnesses, not suspects, in a foreign interference case. 

The two are now raising alarms about how the invasive technology was used in their case and the implications it has for broader police use. Meanwhile, one expert told CBC he worries this type of spyware has surpassed legal frameworks protecting Canadians' privacy rights.

WATCH | RCMP deputy commissioner discusses controversial use of spyware: 
 
 
RCMP deputy commissioner discusses force’s controversial usage of spyware technology
August 25, 2022|
Duration 10:29
 
Deputy RCMP Commissioner Bryan Larkin defended the national police force’s use of spyware to conduct surveillance and collect data from digital services. ‘We recognize that there’s legislative gaps, we want to mitigate those risks’ Larkin said.

Canada has no legislation regulating spyware

In 2022, a House of Commons privacy committee ordered the RCMP to disclose its "device investigation tools." In response, the RCMP revealed it had been using ODITs to hack phones and other devices since 2017 without notifying the public or the federal privacy commissioner.

Canada currently has no legislation regulating spyware use.

A 2024 RCMP report says the force only deploys ODITs "for serious criminal investigations, such as organized crime, national security and terrorism, cybercrime, or other serious crimes," and that the technique is only used with judicial authorization, and "when other investigative means of collecting evidence have proven to be ineffective."

According to the report, some of the tool's technical capabilities include "intercepting communications, collecting and storing data, capturing computer screenshots and keyboard logging, and/or activating microphone and camera features."

Canada's Public Safety ministry has refused to disclose which vendors supply the RCMP with ODITs and has not denied that other government agencies might also use them. 

Just last month, a Citizen Lab report detailed "a growing ecosystem of spyware capability" among the RCMP and multiple Ontario-based police services.

"If it's not kept in check, it could be a disaster — which we believe it is," McNamara said in a phone interview with CBC News.

WATCH | Citizen Lab report says OPP may have secretly used controversial spyware: 
 
OPP may have secretly used controversial tech that can spy on citizens
March 20|
Duration 7:46
 
A controversial spyware that delivers easy and complete access to a stranger's phone is now allegedly in use by Ontario Provincial Police. Metro Morning spoke to researchers with Citizen Lab to find out more about the controversial technology — and their investigation into the OPP.

Toronto-based criminal defence lawyer Adam Boni says ODITs make traditional wire tapping "look like something from the stone age," and that the RCMP's use of them has been "shrouded in secrecy."

He says he has concerns about the lack of independent monitoring and review processes around spyware technology. 

"There's a whole cluster of issues that demand transparency and accountability, and we're just not seeing that," he said. 

"Whenever you have that type of really powerful state surveillance being utilized, and at the same time, steps being taken to prevent full disclosure of what's being done, it raises serious concerns in terms of privacy rights."

Officers surveilled in foreign interference investigation

McNamara and Merrifield filed a lawsuit together last year against the federal government, seeking $5.5 million in damages and alleging defamation, claiming they lost their security clearances — and in McNamara's case, his job — because of "inaccurate, incomplete, misleading and/or false" information provided by CSIS to their employers. 

They say CSIS wrongly implicated them in assisting William Majcher, a former RCMP inspector who was charged in 2023 with helping China conduct foreign interference in a case that is still ongoing.

Though both McNamara and Merrifield say they had known Majcher for years, they both deny having any unlawful associations with him. 

Both men say they were interviewed by Montreal RCMP regarding their relationships with Majcher, and both say they were informed they were being interviewed as witnesses. Neither were charged with any crime. 

Though Merrifield has since had his security clearance restored, both he and McNamara say they suffered stress, anxiety and depression, as well as embarrassment and loss of reputation. Their lawsuit is still ongoing. 

It was through evidence that turned up in court files related to the Majcher case, that they learned the RCMP gained access to their cellphones using an ODIT. They believe RCMP investigators hacked their phones because they were unable to get an ODIT on Majcher's phone, as he was based in Hong Kong. 

CBC News also obtained an April 2023 affidavit filed by the RCMP to deploy the ODITs to the officers' phones in the Majcher case that appears to indicate they applied them to the wrong numbers at least twice.

"We don't know if they were defunct numbers, dormant numbers, or if they actually snatched data of an innocent private citizen," Merrifield said in a phone interview with CBC News.

A man looks into the distance.Ontario RCMP officer Pete Merrifield says he felt betrayed by the RCMP after learning through court documents that controversial spyware called an On-Device Investigative Tool was ordered on his phone. (Evan Mitsui/CBC)

An internal RCMP document from May 2023, also published in the Majcher court case, states the ODITs on McNamara and Merrifield were required "for the purpose of collecting historical messages as well as documentary evidence in support of the offences being investigated" in relation to Majcher.

The RCMP appear to have run into multiple issues accessing the phones. A Sept. 7, 2023, email published in court documents related to the Majcher case details failed attempts to crack passwords for several apps or accounts. 

"[H]itting the same account over and over again with a wrong password could lead to the account being locked and raise suspicion by the owner," the email read.

Though McNamara says he can't know for sure that the attempts to crack these passwords were related to him, as there were other numbers subject to the ODITs, he told CBC News in an email that it seemed "more than coincidence" that he was also having issues with his phone at around the same time.

Merrifield, McNamara feel 'betrayed' and 'violated'

Merrifield, who has worked with U.S. federal agencies and overseen security for visits by world leaders, foreign dignitaries and royalty through his work with the RCMP, says he feels "betrayed" by the police force "in a way I could not fathom in my worst f--king nightmare."

He has a history of disputes with RCMP brass and is the co-founder and vice-president of its union, the National Police Federation. He also learned from the April 2023 affidavit that the RCMP had ordered an ODIT on his union phone during the time he was engaged in collective bargaining conversations that year. He says this breached not only his privacy, but the privacy of some 19,000 union members.

In the lawsuit, Merrifield also accuses CSIS of previously using ODITs against him in the Majcher case. A CSIS spokesperson told CBC News in an email that the agency is "unable to comment on the matter as it is currently before the courts."

"It's terrifying. I don't care who you are. It's the most powerful tool available to law enforcement or intelligence," Merrifield said.

"There's no hiding from it. They can turn your phone into a camera. They can turn it into a microphone. You can turn the power off, they can still use the device. It's the most intrusive thing that exists in the world today."

CBC News reached out to the RCMP for comment on McNamara and Merrifield's allegations, but the force declined to be interviewed. It instead sent an emailed statement saying, "It would be inappropriate for the RCMP to comment on this case as the matter is before the courts."

 

A man wearing sunglasses looks on.McNamara says he feels violated by the RCMP’s use of spyware. (Ben Nelms/CBC)

McNamara, who once worked undercover in high-profile covert operations with the Vancouver Police Department, says learning the ODITs were ordered on his devices has left him feeling "violated."

Allowing ODITs to become a mainstream investigative tool erodes citizens' right to privacy, he says, and is a serious breach in ethics, moral obligations and legal procedures.

"Having been in the police, we get this mission creep, where the police will push the boundaries," McNamara said. "And so we start to normalize the behaviour, when they shouldn't be doing this."

Technology has surpassed legal framework: lawyer

A spokesperson for the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada said in an email that the RCMP's use of ODITs primarily falls under part six of the criminal code, which sets out provisions for police to get judicial authorization for intercepting private communications in criminal investigations. 

The email also noted that the RCMP is subject to the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, including the section eight protection against unreasonable search and seizure, which acts as an additional check on the use of ODITs.  

The spokesperson would not speak to this specific case, but said the office conducts "voluntary consultations" with government institutions that are typically focused on program design and implementation, and those consultations "are conducted in confidence." 

A man wearing glasses and a tan blazer with a microphone on his lapel sits in an office setting.Toronto-based criminal defence lawyer Adam Boni is concerned about the lack of independent monitoring and review processes around new spyware technology that he says makes traditional wire tapping 'look like something from the stone age.' (Ousama Farag/CBC)

Boni says police use of ODITs in general signals that Canada has entered an era where technology has vastly surpassed the legal frameworks in place for protection of privacy.

He says lawyers, legislators and judges need to take a hard look at whether or not sufficient checks and balances are in place to prevent abuses before they occur. 

"The technology is so expansive, it is so capable, that the temptation to abuse it is compelling," Boni said. "We need to have a really serious conversation in this country about the state's use of this technology."

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Kevin Maimann

Digital Writer

Kevin Maimann is a senior writer for CBC News based in Edmonton. He has covered a wide range of topics for publications including VICE, the Toronto Star, Xtra Magazine and the Edmonton Journal. You can reach Kevin by email at kevin.maimann@cbc.ca.

CBC's Journalistic Standards and Practices
 
 
 

Adam S. Boni

Called to the bar: 1995 (ON)

Boni, Adam S.

Lawyer
216 Heath Street West, Suite 4
Toronto, Ontario M5P 1N7
Phone: 416-873-0510
Fax: 416-352-5995
Email: defence@adamboni.com
 
 
 
https://www.noscommunes.ca/documentviewer/en/44-1/ETHI/meeting-74/evidence  
 
 

House of Commons Emblem

Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics

NUMBER 074 
l
1st SESSION 
l
44th PARLIAMENT 

EVIDENCE

Friday, June 2, 2023

 
 
 
    Good morning.
    I have not agreed to appear here or at other committees to act as a proxy for any side in what has devolved into a rabid partisan fixation for or against a public inquiry. Instead, I am here to raise an alarm and say something that might help you and Canadians navigate reports about Chinese interference, a matter that I once spent a lot of time reporting about as an investigative journalist. I’m also doing this in the faint hope that a few of you will hear what I have to say and then do something about it.
    I have been a reporter and writer for almost 40 years. For much of that time, I was an investigative reporter at CTV, CBC, The Globe and Mail and The Walrus magazine. I have written a lot about intelligence services. That work led to a book called Covert Entry: Spies, Lies and Crimes Inside Canada’s Secret Service. It is one of only two books of any consequence written about CSIS. My book exposed CSIS for its systemic laziness, nepotism, corruption, racism, lying and law-breaking that you and other Canadians haven’t heard or read much about lately.
    I am familiar with China's covert influence campaigns. I wrote a series of front-page stories about Chinese influence efforts throughout Canadian society while I was at The Globe and Mail in the late 1990s and early 2000s. It’s an old story. That reporting culminated in a story about a joint RCMP-CSIS probe called Project Sidewinder.
    Sidewinder was intriguing for several reasons. Its central finding, that the PRC was working with triads to infiltrate almost every aspect of Canadian life, was so controversial that then CSIS director Ward Elcock publicly dismissed the probe as, in effect, crap. A senior CSIS officer ordered all copies of the report destroyed. A surviving copy of the report made its way to me and subsequently onto The Globe’s front page.
    Here is where my reporting and much of the recent reporting about Chinese influence differ. Sidewinder included the names of a slew of well-known companies, organizations and high-profile figures that the RCMP and CSIS believed had been compromised by the PRC. At the time, my editors and I agreed that it would be irresponsible to publish their identities when relying solely on a 23-page report, even if it was marked top secret.
    Here is the other reason I have agreed to appear. A kind of witch hunt-like hysteria is being ginned up by scoop-thirsty journalists and what is likely a handful of members of Canada’s vast and largely unaccountable security intelligence structure. It’s dangerous. People’s reputations and livelihoods have been damaged. Loyal Canadians of Chinese descent, including one of your colleagues, are being tarred as disloyal to the maple leaf.
    The special rapporteur found that Global TV’s egregious allegation about Mr. Han Dong was categorically false, but Mr. Dong, unfortunately, is not alone. CSIS officers have even accused veteran police officers, who have risked their lives to protect the communities and the country they have served honourably for decades, of being compromised by the PRC. It is shameful, and this and every other committee examining this matter are duty-bound by decency and fairness to finally hold CSIS officers to account for smearing Canadians because of their phantom ties to China.
     I have provided this committee with a copy of a just-published 1,800-word column I wrote that exposes the horror that two brave police officers and proud Canadians have had to endure at the inept hands of CSIS for the past three years. I urge you to read it. If you do, you will understand the deep damage CSIS has done to Paul McNamara, an ex-Vancouver police undercover officer, and Peter Merrifield, a serving RCMP officer, and their families. It smacks of guilt by association that makes the innocent appear guilty.
    What happened to Paul McNamara and Peter Merrifield is evidence that, first, as a Federal Court judge ruled in 2020, CSIS has “a degree of institutional disregard for—or, at the very least, a cavalier institutional approach to—the duty of candour and, regrettably, the rule of law.” In other words, CSIS lies and breaks the law. Second, in February of this year, NSIRA issued a report that found that CSIS fails to consider the damage it routinely does to the lives of the Canadians it targets and their families.
    That’s why I am urging this committee and every other committee examining this matter to invite Mr. McNamara and Mr. Merrifield to be witnesses, so they can tell you directly about the profound human consequences when CSIS gets it so wrong. If you won’t listen to me, then listen to these two wronged police officers, who deserve to be heard.
    Thank you.
 
 
 
https://www.scc-csc.ca/cases-dossiers/search-recherche/38630/ 
 
 

38630

Peter Merrifield v. Attorney General of Canada, et al.

(Ontario) (Civil) (By Leave)

Counsel

Party: Merrifield, Peter

Counsel
Laura Young
1120 - 36 Toronto St.
Toronto, Ontario
M5C 2C5
Telephone: (416) 366-4298
FAX: (416) 850-5134
Email: laura.young@lylaw.ca
Agent
Marie-France Major
Supreme Advocacy LLP
100- 340 Gilmour Street
Ottawa, Ontario
K2P 0R3
Telephone: (613) 695-8855 Ext: 102
FAX: (613) 695-8580
Email: mfmajor@supremeadvocacy.ca

Party: Attorney General of Canada

Counsel
Sean Gaudet
James Gorham
Attorney General of Canada
Department of Justice Canada, Ontario Regional Office
120 Adelaisde Street West
Toronto, Ontario
M5H 1T1
Telephone: (647) 256-7500
FAX: (416) 973-0809
Email: sean.gaudet@justice.gc.ca
Agent
Christopher M. Rupar
Attorney General of Canada
Department of Justice Canada, Civil Litigation Section
50 O'Connor Street, 5th Floor
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0H8
Telephone: (613) 941-2351
FAX: (613) 954-1920
Email: christopher.rupar@justice.gc.ca

Party: Inspector Jamie Jagoe

Counsel
Sean Gaudet
James Gorham
Attorney General of Canada
Department of Justice Canada, Ontario Regional Office
120 Adelaisde Street West
Toronto, Ontario
M5H 1T1
Telephone: (647) 256-7500
FAX: (416) 973-0809
Email: sean.gaudet@justice.gc.ca
Agent
Christopher M. Rupar
Attorney General of Canada
Department of Justice Canada, Civil Litigation Section
50 O'Connor Street, 5th Floor
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0H8
Telephone: (613) 941-2351
FAX: (613) 954-1920
Email: christopher.rupar@justice.gc.ca

Party: Superintendent Marc Proulx

Counsel
Sean Gaudet
James Gorham
Attorney General of Canada
Department of Justice Canada, Ontario Regional Office
120 Adelaisde Street West
Toronto, Ontario
M5H 1T1
Telephone: (647) 256-7500
FAX: (416) 973-0809
Email: sean.gaudet@justice.gc.ca
Agent
Christopher M. Rupar
Attorney General of Canada
Department of Justice Canada, Civil Litigation Section
50 O'Connor Street, 5th Floor
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0H8
Telephone: (613) 941-2351
FAX: (613) 954-1920
Email: christopher.rupar@justice.gc.ca 
 
 
 
 
https://www.noscommunes.ca/documentviewer/en/44-1/ETHI/meeting-74/evidence 
 

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House of Commons Emblem

Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics

NUMBER 074 
l
1st SESSION 
l
44th PARLIAMENT 

EVIDENCE

Friday, June 2, 2023

The Chair (Mr. John Brassard (Barrie—Innisfil, CPC)):
    I call this meeting to order.
     Welcome to meeting number 74 of the House of Commons Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics.
    Today’s meeting is taking place in a hybrid format, pursuant to the House order of June 23, 2022, and therefore, members can attend in person in the room and remotely using the Zoom application. Should any technical challenges arise, please advise me immediately. Please note that we may need to suspend a few minutes as we need to ensure that all members are able to participate fully.
    Pursuant to Standing Order 108(3)(h) and the motion adopted by the committee on Wednesday, December 7, 2022, the committee is resuming its study of foreign interference and threats to the integrity of democratic institutions, intellectual property and the Canadian state. In accordance with the committee’s routine motion concerning connection tests for witnesses, I am informing the committee that all witnesses have completed the required connection tests in advance of the meeting.
    I would now like to welcome our witnesses for the first hour today. We have, as individuals, Dean Baxendale, chief executive officer, China Democracy Foundation and of Optimum Publishing International, Thomas Juneau, associate professor, Graduate School of Public and International Affairs, University of Ottawa, and, by video conference, Andrew Mitrovica, investigative reporter.
    Mr. Baxendale, the floor is yours for a five-minute opening statement.

     Today I hope to provide additional insights relevant to your investigation and understanding of foreign influence in Canadian elections and other spheres of Canadian society.
    Today I will speak with two hats on. One is as CEO of Optimum Publishing, which has published multiple books on human rights abuses by the Chinese Communist Party, espionage operations by the MSS and the PLA, and triad organized crime and money laundering in Canada and other nations around the world. During this time, I've learned more than I ever wanted to know about foreign interference in Canadian affairs.
    The second is as CEO of the China Democracy Fund, whose mission is to defend free speech by academics and journalists who fall prey to the United Front Work's disinformation and suppression operations in Canada and around the world. Countless people, from the Tibetans to the Uyghurs and the people of Hong Kong, have been oppressed and murdered and have seen their culture erased by the CCP. I stand in solidarity with their right to freedom and democracy.
    I also stand as a defender of democracy here at home. Canada is at a crossroads. Will we continue to remain wilfully blind to Chinese infiltration into our elections, business, media and academia? Will we continue to abandon our fellow citizens in the Chinese diaspora to the threats, intimidation and manipulation, also known as transnational repression?
    I put to you that we must exercise option two. If we do not, we risk becoming a captive state, losing our sovereignty and our ability to make decisions in the best interests of our citizens.
    Today, I am going to talk about one of the most important threats and tactics used by the CCP. It is called elite capture. This is the co-opting of leading individuals and public figures to view the actions and goals of the CCP in a positive light and to advance pro-PRC positions within their spheres of influence. In some cases, these persons are bribed or blackmailed, but in most cases they are simply flattered, supported in their careers or befriended by CCP operatives or agents working on behalf of the United Front. Thus they become witting or unwitting agents of the CCP.
    Targets for elite capture fall into three categories: those who are already friends, those who are neutral and could be positively predisposed towards the PRC, and enemies of the state. These would include people like Erin O'Toole and the suppression operation that was conducted against the Conservatives in the last election.
    Former minister and ambassador to China John McCallum became a poster child for the regime—a dream politician who was successfully co-opted by the CCP. Like many, he fell victim to their special treatment and ultimately came to believe that he was a chosen emissary and only he could best relate the goals and objectives of the regime in diplomatic circles here in Canada. This was illustrated in Hidden Hand, which is published by Optimum.
    If we cast our minds back to the 1980s, it is easy to see how western elites were taken in. Over two decades prior, U.S. President Richard Nixon famously visited China as part of an effort to engage the country and make it an ally. The west had a bigger enemy—the former Soviet Union. China was seen as both an economic and geopolitical opportunity. Western leaders either failed to see or wilfully ignored the fact that China had its own agenda, which it deployed not through military might, but through propaganda, economics and soft power.
    Carolyn Bartholomew, the chair of the powerful U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission in D.C., said that they sold them on a win-win and many business and academic leaders believed that China would reform its treatment of religious and ethnic minorities, liberalize its country and embrace democracy. This was the prevailing academic theory. They believed—apparently naively—that the CCP would indeed reform and embrace the ideals of a progressive democracy. She expressed this publicly in a human rights panel that was hosted by MLI, Optimum and the CDF in 2021.
    If elites were blind, intelligence agencies were not. Starting in the 1990s, CSIS had identified the threats, but the Americans began their own operational investigations, including Operation Dragon Lord, which was an American operation focused not only on the U.S. but on Canada and Australia. Operation Dragon Lord was a multi-faceted agency probe by the U.S. intelligence agencies in the late 1990s. These investigations were, in part, in response to the work being conducted by the RCMP and CSIS here in Canada.
    Garry Clement, Brian McAdam and Michel Juneau-Katsuya, as well as countless other intelligence agents were investigating and writing countless reports on the nexus between organized crime, Chinese business tycoons and the PLA and MSS operations in Canada. The executive brief was obtained by Optimum authors Ina Mitchell and Scott McGregor from a former federal and provincial government lawyer. The U.S. was concerned about national security and the threat emanating directly from Canada. Much later, agencies in Canada identified these linkages and determined that Vancouver had become the North American headquarters for infiltration operations by the Chinese Communist Party.
    As part of my testimony today, I've submitted the first page of the Operation Dragon Lord memo. It identifies FBI and NSA case numbers. They were investigating the relationship between the Canadian business leaders Paul Desmarais and Peter Munk, former prime minister Jean Chrétien, the Canada China Business Council, the China International Trust and Investment Corporation, known heroin kingpin Lo Hsing Han and arms dealer Robert Kuok.
(0850)

The Chair:
     Mr. Baxendale, we're over the five minutes.
    I'm sure many of the issues you still had can get addressed during questions and answers.

Mr. Dean Baxendale:
    Perfect.
 
 
https://chinadem.org/mission 
 
 

China Democracy Fund

Incorporated in Canada, the CDF has a global board of directors and advisors.

Our purpose is supporting and defending scholars, journalists, and others who work on issues of democracy and human rights related to China, The China Democracy Fund (CDF) provides financial support for a robust legal defense against attacks due to their scholarship, journalism, and activism.

The organization uses its vast network of independent journalists and publishers, sharing the stories of individuals who fall prey to the CCP’s mass repression and surveillance operations. These include but not limited to disinformation, misinformation and lawfare tactics used to silence those that speak the truth about the Chinese Communist Party.

We believe that we are all capable of opposing tyranny in all its forms. With your help, we have been able to amass massive diplomatic and political support for our campaigns. No mater where threats emerge, we will always oppose attacks against freedom of speech and democracy.

 
 

 
 
 
https://chinadem.org/news/r9y3ox6vi22ya65cdp6sm9fawmwkj7 
 

Go Fund Me freezes legal defence fund for Daniel Suidani

The China Democracy Fund Steps into the Breach

For Immediate Release

New York

April 24, 2023

Former Premier Daniel Suidani, who represented his Malaita, Solomon Islands province, was stripped of his Premiership and then his assembly seat through PRC-backed lawfare.  

That included - in a world first for a democratic country - the pro-PRC government of Solomons disqualifying him from his elected seat because he questioned the Chinese Communist Party’s definition of One China.

This was the culmination of an attack on democracy (and, by extension, on pro-democracy leaders like Suidani) that started in September 2019 when, after years of recognizing Taiwan, the Prime Minister of Solomons unilaterally abandoned Taipei in favor of Beijing.  

Since that time, the PRC and its proxies have been actively engaged in fundamental changes to the country’s governance. Some examples:

  •  The pro-PRC Solomon Islands government signed a security deal with China that allows for the People’s Liberation Army to deploy on Solomons’ soil – home of the battle of Guadalcanal, where so many died defending freedom in World War II.

  •  A PRC slush fund was used to pay off thirty-nine of the fifty members of Parliament - enough to then amend the Constitution and ‘postpone’ the elections that were supposed to be held this year. 

  •  The Solomons government announced it would take out a $66 million loan - that it can’t afford - from China to buy and install 161 Huawei communications towers. 

  •  Political opposition, civil society groups and the media have been intimidated. 

  •  Chinese state companies are embedding in the economy, including a multimillion-dollar contract to upgrade an international port in the capital.

  •  China is training and arming Solomons police, including with truck-mounted water canons. 

Daniel Suidani was in New York last week to participate in a United Nations conference on indigenous environmental guardianship and is now in Washington, D.C., where he will meet with the media, think tanks and politicians about the plight of his homeland, which is increasingly becoming a captive nation.   

The China Uncensored organization set up a GoFundMe to raise funds for the trip and for the initial phase of Daniel Suidani’s legal defence against the lawfare. 

 GoFundMe has now frozen those funds.

After consulting with China Uncensored and Daniel Suidani, the China Democracy Fund has started a campaign through its own secure payment system to raise funds to support Daniel Suidani and the brave Solomon Islanders fighting to liberate their country from Chinese transnational repression. 

An anonymous donor has agreed to backstop the organization’s efforts with a US$5,000 pledge to ensure Suidani’s lawyers can proceed to defend him at an upcoming hearing to overturn the baseless motion to remove him from his seat in his home province of Malaita. That person will match the first $1,000 raised by the China Democracy Fund.

For more information or to secure an interview, contact Dean Bxendale, CEO of the China Democracy Fund. deanb@opibooks.com = +1 647-970 1973

Dean Baxendale
 
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DCM-lDU6n1g
 
 

 
 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8p1YSewR-4 
 
 

[CLIP] Exclusive: Daniel Suidani Reveals the Chinese Regime’s Tactics in the Pacific

 
Jul 15, 2023 
"They were given money to withdraw from my government…[&] vote me out." 
 
Daniel Suidani was ousted from his position as premier after he refused a bribe & barred CCP-linked companies from operating in his province in the Solomon Islands. This is the first 6 minutes of this exclusive episode. In this episode, he and his advisor Celsus Talifilu break down the Chinese regime’s tactics in the Pacific. 
 

6 Comments

 
What came of this?
 
 
Protect this man!
 
Sadly he passed on yesterday. RIP Suidani.
 @wilfredluiramo7916  Now I know
 
 

Solomon Islands critic of China, Daniel Suidani, dies on eve of protest court ruling

By
SYDNEY, Oct 21 (Reuters) - Daniel Suidani, a former school teacher turned Solomon Islands provincial leader who won international recognition for his defiance of China, has died in Honiara, his friends said on Tuesday.
 
As premier of Malaita, Solomon Islands' largest province, Suidani banned Chinese companies after the Pacific Island nation's newly-elected Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare cut diplomatic relations with Taiwan in favour of Beijing in 2019.
Suidani, who also invited the U.S. to contribute aid, said he opposed the change in diplomatic ties because Sogavare had not canvassed his intentions during the election campaign.
 
Solomon Islands later struck a security pact with China, becoming Beijing's closest ally in the strategically-located Pacific Islands, raising concern in Washington and Canberra.
 
Suidani, 55, died in a Honiara hospital on Tuesday, his political adviser and friend Celsus Talifilu said in a social media post. The cause of death was not disclosed. In 2021, Suidani travelled to Taipei for medical treatment for a suspected brain tumour.
 
A Honiara court is due to rule on Wednesday on whether unlawful assembly charges against Suidani and Talifilu, related to 2021 anti-China protests in Malaita, should be thrown out.
 
Suidani was a powerful speaker, and an important figure for democracy in Solomon Islands, Talifilu told Reuters.
 
The Solomon Islands National University's student council wrote on Facebook that the nation had lost a son who advocated for strong democratic values.
 
Solomon Islands Broadcasting reported the Malaita provincial government had released a statement mourning its member and former leader, saying "we learn from him in positive ways that help us together".
 
Suidani was toppled as premier in 2023 in a no-confidence motion that his supporters boycotted, and dismissed from his seat, although the High Court ruled the move unlawful in 2025.
 
Suidani was re-elected to the provincial assembly in last year's general election.
His replacement as Malaita premier, who signed a deal allowing Chinese construction companies to enter the province and build roads, was ousted by voters in the same poll.
 
 
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Honourable
Daniel Suidani
Suidani in 2022

Premier of Malaita Province
In office
June 2019 – 7 February 2023
Governors-GeneralFrank Kabui
David Vunagi
Preceded byPeter Ramohia
Succeeded byMartin Fini[1]
Personal details
Born1970
Malaita Province, Solomon Islands
Died (aged 55)
Honiara, Solomon Islands
Political partyUmi for Change Party[2]
SpouseMargaret Mini
Alma materHoniara Solomon Islands College of Higher Education

Daniel Suidani (1970 – 21 October 2025) was a Solomon Islander politician who served as the Premier of Malaita Province from June 2019 until his ousting in a no confidence vote in February 2023.[3]

Life and career

Suidani was born in 1970, on Malaita Island in Malaita Province. After graduating from the Honiara College of Higher Education at the age of 19, he initially worked as an elementary school teacher before switching to working for a timber and urban construction company.[4]

During Suidani's tenure as Premier of Malaita Province, the Solomon Islands government officially switched diplomatic recognition from the Republic of China (Taiwan) to the People's Republic of China (China). Suidani was highly critical of this decision, alleging that the Chinese government offered bribes to him in exchange for political allegiance.[5] Suidani has in turn been accused of accepting bribes from the Taiwanese government.[6]

In 2020, Suidani held an independence referendum for Malaita Province, which was dismissed as illegitimate by the central government.[7]

In October 2021, a motion of no confidence was filed against Suidani, but was withdrawn after protests erupted in support of him.[8] He condemned international interference in the 2021 Solomon Islands unrest.[9] On 7 February 2023, he was removed from office after a vote of no confidence from the provincial legislature.[10]

In 2022, Suidani founded the Umi for Change Party.[2]

In a letter dated 20 March 2023, the Solomon Islands government declared Suidani "unfit for office" due to his stand against China.[11] National Minister for Provincial Government and Institutional Strengthening Rollen Seleso disqualified Suidani from holding his seat in the Malaita Provincial Assembly and the Speaker of the Malaita Provincial Assembly, Ronnie Butafa, was advised by the government to declare Suidani's seat – Ward 5 of Baegu-West Fataleka – officially vacant.[11] Suidani and his supporters accused Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare of being behind his ousting and vowed to appeal his ban from office.[11] Afterwards protests broke out.[12]

In 2024, Suidani was reelected to the seat in Malaita Provincial Assembly.[13]

Suidani died at the National Referral Hospital in Honiara, on 21 October 2025, at the age of 55

 
 
 https://davidraymondamos3.blogspot.com/2025/04/anatomy-of-cover-up.html
 
 
 
 

Dispersing the Fog - Ep 31 - MCC Non-Update, Fmr CI Sues RCMP, New DUI Defense, Guest Paul McNamara

 
Oct 12, 2025 
Happy Thanksgiving to everyone! This week, we have a special guest, Paul McNamara, who spent many years working undercover operations in Canada, and has since become a target of controversial police investigative tactics. He discusses his experiences with Paul and Adam, including how trying to get a good deal on a pool lead to suspicions that he was a spy. Also covered this week, the latest 'update' from the Nova Scotia Mass Casualty Commission's implementation committee, a former confidential informant suing the RCMP for placing him in a vulnerable position when he was 17, an appeal decision on a new defense to a refusing to take the breathalyzer, and the Jays-Yankees series. 
 

5 Comments

Paul McNamara and I should have a long talk ASAP EH?
 
 
 
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T73Cyw05MeQ&t=2s
 
 

 
 
 

An RCMP officer and a retired Vancouver cop say not even police are safe from high-tech spyware

Pair allege RCMP used phone-hacking technology on them as witnesses in ongoing foreign interference case

 
Kevin Maimann · CBC News ·
 
 
 
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eBlclsZG0AU
 
 

Maximize Your Retirement With These CPP Tips For Couples!

 
Jul 11, 2025 
Maximize Your Retirement With These CPP Tips For Couples! 𝗦𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗱𝘂𝗹𝗲 𝗮 𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗗𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗱 📅 https://meetings.hubspot.com/david-aaron Discover how to maximize your Canada Pension Plan benefits as a couple nearing retirement with this informative video, including strategies for retirement planning. Learn about pension sharing and contribution strategies, and see real-life examples of tax-efficient retirement planning. Maximize your government benefits with these tips. Are you and your spouse approaching retirement and wondering when you should start collecting your Canada Pension Plan (CPP)? Should you take it at 60, 65, or wait until 70? In this video, we break down a real example of a Canadian couple to show you exactly how to maximize your CPP benefits. ▶️ What You’ll Learn: ✅ When to start CPP for each spouse based on income level ✅ How delaying CPP can increase your secure, inflation-protected income by over 40% ✅ Why one spouse might want to start CPP early while the other delays to age 70 ✅ The impact of CPP pension sharing and survivor benefits ✅ How to coordinate CPP with RRSPs, TFSAs, and other retirement income ✅ How this strategy can add up to \$80,000+ in extra retirement income 💡 Real Case Study: We use a scenario of John and Mary, both age 60, to compare three retirement income strategies: 1. Both take CPP at age 60 2. John delays to 70 while Mary starts at 60 3. Both delay to age 70 Using real numbers and a visual chart, we show how the mixed strategy (Mary at 60, John at 70) provides the best combination of early income, long-term security, and survivor protection. 📈 Watch the Graph Come to Life: We walk you through a visual chart of annual CPP income from age 60 to 90. You’ll see the clear differences between each option—perfect for those who want data-backed advice before making a decision. 💰 Bonus: Tax and OAS Tips We’ll also cover how to use RRSP drawdowns and TFSAs to bridge the gap before CPP starts—and how that helps reduce taxes and avoid OAS clawbacks. 👫 Who This Is For: ✅ Canadian couples between ages 55–70 ✅ Those planning retirement in the next 5–10 years ✅ Anyone unsure of how to time CPP to fit their income plan 🔔 Subscribe for More: If you’re serious about building a retirement income strategy that lasts, subscribe to our channel. We focus on CPP, RRSPs, TFSA planning, and tax-efficient income strategies just for Canadians. 📞 Need Help? We offer personalized retirement income planning. Book a one-on-one consultation at https://meetings.hubspot.com/david-aaron --- Tags: \#CPP #CanadaPensionPlan #RetirementPlanningCanada #CPPStrategy #CPPDelaying #TaxEfficientRetirement #CPPForCouples #CanadianRetirement #CPP60vs70 #PensionSharingCanada 𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗦𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗪𝗮𝘁𝗰𝗵: This video is not just for economists or financial experts; it’s for anyone concerned about their financial well-being in the coming years. If you're looking for ways to safeguard your investments, plan for retirement, or understand the economic indicators that could impact your future, this video is your go-to resource. By the end of this discussion, you’ll have a clearer understanding of the driving forces behind rising interest rates, market volatility, CPP / OAS, Retirement planning and the tools you'll need for protecting your assets and ensuring a secure financial future. Don't leave your financial future to chance. Equip yourself with the knowledge you need and consider getting professional advice to navigate these uncertain times. Subscribe for more insights and actionable tips. 
 
 Disclaimer: This video is for informational purposes only and should not be considered as financial advice. If you have any further questions about this video's topic or any financial planning questions in general, I encourage you to schedule your confidential meeting with me.  
 
You can schedule your meeting here: https://meetings.hubspot.com/david-aaron ➤ 𝐒𝐔𝐁𝐒𝐂𝐑𝐈𝐁𝐄 to our Channel here: http://bit.ly/2lPUJjA​​​ ➤ 𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐈 𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐩 𝐌𝐲 𝐂𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐀𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐞𝐯𝐞 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐆𝐨𝐚𝐥𝐬:    • Welcome to Aaron Wealth Management  Protec...   ➤ Business Inquiries: ☎️ 1-866-623-8368 📥 aaronwealthmanagement@gmail.com 🌐 https://aaronwealthmanagement.com/ 📅 https://meetings.hubspot.com/david-aaron ⚡ 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗗𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗱 𝗔𝗮𝗿𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗻 𝗦𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗠𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗮 Facebook:   / aaronwealthmanagement   LinkedIn:   / aaronwealthmanagement   Instagram:   / aaronwealthmanagement   
 
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64 Comments

Great video with realistic scenarios
3
Aaron Wealth Management
·
Thanks Pierre
 @AaronWealthManagement  We talked Correct?
We should talk https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WVGHg0jlVWk
Well, this is the first time I can agree with delaying CPP to age 70 - well done! It makes complete sense, and addresses my #1 worry of depleting our savings and having no government survivor benefits to cover the shrt fall.
2
Aaron Wealth Management
·
I strongly disagree Get your CCP ASAP before our latest Prime Minister has his way with it
 
 
 
 
 https://aaronwealthmanagement.com/contact-us/

Aaron Wealth Management’s services are designed to meet the needs of business owners and high-net-worth individuals. We’d be happy to have a conversation to help us both determine if there’s a potential fit.

Please contact us to start the conversation.

David K Aaron

Business Owner Specialist
416-602-3533
aaronwealthmanagement@gmail.com

3625 Dufferin St., #340
North York, ON
M3K 1Z2

 
 
 
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