On Monday, Canada announced that the leading news account on the Chinese social media platform WeChat was disseminating misleading information about Prime Minister Mark Carney in an attempt to sway the Canadian election campaign.
The Privy Council Office stated, “The information operation aimed at Mr. Carney is intentionally amplifying narratives in a coordinated and deceptive manner on WeChat, targeting Chinese audiences, including those residing in Canada.”
In its statement, Ottawa indicated that the account was undermining Carney’s qualifications and experience to influence Chinese voters. However, it asserted that this effort would not alter the outcome of the election scheduled for April 28.
Canada identified the Youli-Youmian account as the source of this messaging, referencing intelligence reports that associate the outlet with the Chinese Communist Party.
The Chinese embassy in Ottawa did not respond immediately to requests for comment.
The race, previously dominated by the Conservatives, has been opened up by U.S. tariffs on Canadian goods and the Liberal Party’s decision to nominate Carney as a replacement for the unpopular former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
According to the 2021 census, there are 1.7 million individuals of Chinese descent in Canada, representing 4.7% of the population. The ethnic Chinese vote holds significant weight in key parliamentary districts in major cities like Vancouver and Toronto.
See more: Poland Consider Reallocating EU Funds for Defense.
Last month, Canada expressed concerns that China might attempt to interfere in the election. Beijing, which has strained relations with Ottawa, has denied previous accusations of interference.
The Youli-Youmian account was also reported to have engaged in “malign behavior” in June 2023 and January 2025, targeting prominent Canadian politicians.
The Canadian government plans to address its concerns with Tencent, the company behind WeChat.
