Chinese Communist Party-linked accounts on WeChat have been caught promoting unelected Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney in the run-up to the April 28 general election, according to a Canadian government task force. The messaging, targeting Chinese-speaking voters, hailed Carney as a “rock star economist” and praised him for challenging U.S. policies under Donald Trump.
The posts, shared by the CCP-linked “Youli-Youmian” WeChat account, painted Carney as a “tough prime minister” and “the only adult in the room.” Despite official claims that the propaganda did not materially affect the fairness of the election, the content has raised alarm about growing Chinese interference in Canadian democracy.
The Canadian Security and Intelligence Threats to Elections (SITE) Task Force acknowledged large spikes in activity around March 10 and March 25, surrounding the launch of the election period.
The SITE Task Force observed significant spikes in this coordinated activity on March 10 and during the election period on March 25, 2025. While the task force has acknowledged the presence of these narratives, it currently assesses that this activity has not compromised Canada’s ability to conduct a free and fair election. Nonetheless, the Canadian government plans to address these concerns with Tencent, the developer of WeChat.
Privy Council Office official Laurie-Anne Kempton stated, “I don’t think we can speak to the intent, but I will say that the PRC (People’s Republic of China) should not be trying to shape the opinions of Canadians, particularly during an election period.”
The Canadian government continues to monitor and address such activities to safeguard its electoral integrity.
