Ethnic Media Insightstranslated summaries of coverage from a selection of ethnic media outlets across Canada to encourage cross cultural conversations |
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Ethnic Media Insights 2025 |
 Background and Inquiry Findings
Canada has been grappling with the issue of foreign interference since early 2023, through a public inquiry examining interference attempts by China, India, Russia, and other foreign actors in recent federal elections. While the inquiry's interim findings suggested limited impact on election outcomes, they highlighted the erosion of public confidence in Canada's democratic institutions as a significant concern. How does foreign influence of different homeland regimes through ethnic media erode Canadian confidence in its democracy? Chinese and South Asian Canadian community journalists gave detailed descriptions from their point of view of how their respective homeland governments interact with their communities. As multilingual media analysts, our team has been tracking the issue objectively across 30 languages and more than 600 sources across Canada and worldwide. The Need for Continuous Monitoring The inquiry's focus on specific election periods, while important, may overlook the continuous nature of foreign influence operations. Ongoing monitoring of ethnic media provides valuable insights into evolving narratives and interference attempts between election cycles, allowing for more proactive responses. Regular analysis of ethnic media content helps identify early signs of disinformation campaigns and opinion manipulation, enabling timely interventions to maintain public trust in democratic processes. Diverse Media Landscape and Consumption Patterns The Chinese-Canadian Media Ecosystem Hong Kong-born journalist Victor Ho provided insights into media consumption patterns within the Chinese-Canadian community, noting differences between Hong Kong immigrants and mainland Chinese newcomers. This highlights the importance of monitoring both English-language and Chinese-language media to get a comprehensive picture of information flows within the community. Ho recommended that the Canadian government should monitor what happens in the Chinese media in Canada. Columnist and broadcaster Ronald Leung said a lot of Chinese media in Canada get their news from the Hong Kong newspapers. Chinese radio in Canada is still majority Cantonese, even though the majority of the Chinese community is now Mandarin. Mandarin speakers from mainland China get their news from homeland sources on the Internet. Content and Influence in Chinese-Canadian Media While local Canadian news is presented in Chinese media with diverse views, it often emphasizes divisive issues on which the Chinese-Canadian community tends to disagree with Canadian approaches, such as drug policy, gender identity, crime and human rights. Certain matters like Taiwan, Hong Kong independence, the Uyghurs, Tibet and the democratic movement in China are taboo, and discussions of other news toe the official line of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). Ho added that most local Chinese-language media has been influenced, if not outright controlled by, the CCP for years. If the CCP seeks to interfere in Canada's democratic process, one of its most effective tools is the Chinese language media. Mostly, narrative control is exercised through self-censorship within ownership and management structures aligned with the CCP. In addition, business and community leaders in the community who are close to the local consulate are used as proxies to keep media outlets in line. “They don’t use the consul general to call your people, because that’s too obvious. They use the community advertiser. They use people, especially the traditional Chinese organization leaders, somebody that will come to your office or gives you a ring to have a coffee chat, and then tries to explain the reason why this kind of article is very important.” The subtle approach to influence, often through community leaders and advertisers, highlights the need for sophisticated monitoring techniques that can detect nuanced changes in media narratives over time. This underscores the need for regular monitoring and analysis to identify patterns of influence and potential breaches of journalistic integrity. Regulatory Limitations and Shifting Media Landscape While there are calls for increased regulation of ethnic media through bodies like the CRTC, the shift towards internet-based radio stations and social media consumption presents challenges. Social media platforms like WeChat, Weibo, WhatsApp, and TikTok are frequently used to spread pro-CCP messaging. This evolving landscape necessitates a more comprehensive approach to monitoring that goes beyond traditional media. The South Asian Media Perspective Vulnerability of Small Media Outlets Journalist Gurpreet Singh testified about the vulnerability of ethnic media in the South Asian community, with many outlets run by small family operations susceptible to influence from business groups or foreign entities. This highlights the need for a comprehensive monitoring strategy that encompasses ethnic media serving various communities. Businesspeople who are close to Indian diplomats can influence a media outlet through their sponsorship and advertising. Singh said monitoring should be intensified of these proxies, especially during election time, as they can influence the voters through various means, including the media outlets. Taboo Topics and Pressure on Journalists Taboo issues in the Indian media include Kashmir, Khalistan, the Air India bombing, and the caste system. Journalists who cover these issues get pushback from proxies of the Indian consulate, such as prominent local businesspeople or community leaders. If critical reporting persists, the journalists are excluded from consular events and may be denied visas to India or have their overseas citizenship card revoked. Some journalists fear they will be arrested for their political views if they travel to India. Some are threatened with consequences for the careers of family members. Journalists favouring the Indian government’s perspectives are rewarded with travel opportunities, event invitations and advertising. This complex web of influences affecting ethnic media content underscores the importance of regular monitoring and analysis to identify shifts in coverage of sensitive topics. Beyond the Chinese and South Asian communities If one looks beyond these communities, in the last decade and a half there are many other instances of foreign interference in Canadian affairs and with expat communities. Russian interference in Canada has focused on election meddling, disinformation campaigns, and cyberattacks. They have targeted government networks, attempted to influence public opinion through social media, and sought to exacerbate societal divisions. Russian-backed entities have also tried to infiltrate Canadian media outlets and academic institutions to promote pro-Russian narratives and undermine trust in democratic processes. Iranian interference efforts include cyber espionage, targeting Canadian government agencies and businesses to steal sensitive data. They have also attempted to influence academic institutions and leverage community organizations to shape public opinion. Iran has been accused of using its embassy (before its closure in 2012) to promote its interests and influence Iranian-Canadians. Other countries, including North Korea, Saudi Arabia, and various Eastern European nations, have also been implicated in interference attempts. These often involve cyberattacks, propaganda dissemination, and attempts to influence policy through funding of think tanks or advocacy groups. To combat these diverse threats, Canada needs a comprehensive approach to monitoring and countering foreign interference, while realizing that it is a predictable but containable side effect of a robust multicultural policy. This includes robust cybersecurity measures, legislative reforms, and continuous monitoring of ethnic media and other channels of influence. Specialized services that can analyze multilingual content across various platforms will be crucial in identifying and addressing these evolving challenges to Canada's democratic integrity. Strategies for Effective Ongoing Monitoring of Ethnic Media To implement effective ongoing monitoring of ethnic media, several strategies can be employed, not only by government but by other organizations within Canada’s diverse society:
By implementing these and other strategies, policymakers and stakeholders can enhance their understanding of the ethnic media landscape and better address the challenges of foreign interference in Canada's multicultural democracy. We at MIREMS have been tracking ethnic media for decades, so we are very glad to hear the voices of key journalists describe the complex ethnic media world for the general public. The full session can be found at https://fic-cie.isi.sh/2024/2024-10-01/english-cc/. It’s worth your time as a concerned Canadian, whether currently in public office or not. Services like those offered by MIREMS, with its long-standing expertise in multilingual media monitoring and analysis, can play a crucial role in this ongoing effort to safeguard the integrity of Canada's information ecosystem. Our recent study on Diaspora Dynamics delves into the reactions of ethnic media in Canada to four distinct conflicts: the alleged Chinese interference in Canadian elections, the assassination of a Sikh leader in Canada, the Russia-Ukraine war, and the Israel-Palestine conflict. It can be found at https://www.mirems.com/conferences.html (The MIREMS Team, 2024-10-07)
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