In this week’s On The Line, host Jen Gerson speaks with Margaret McCuaig-Johnston, who recently made headlines after a tense exchange with newly converted Liberal MP Michael Ma at a parliamentary committee studying the security risks of importing Chinese electric vehicles.

McCuaig-Johnston draws on decades of experience studying China and technology to explain her growing concerns about how China leverages its leading tech sector — and how that capability could be used for surveillance or influence operations in Western countries. The conversation looks at whether Canada is equipped to manage that relationship, or whether it has been too slow to recognize the risks. At this point, can we really defend ourselves, or is China in too deep?

They also revisit the now-infamous committee hearing that put McCuaig-Johnston in the spotlight. What exactly happened, and what was Michael Ma thinking? It’s a pointed discussion about national security, political judgment, and how Canada is handling one of the defining geopolitical challenges of the moment.

All that, in this week’s episode of On The Line. A note for video viewers: this interview was recorded while Gerson was in Montreal for the Liberal leadership convention.

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We hope you enjoy the episode — and don’t miss us next week. We’ll be back with more On The Line.

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On The Line: Can Canada keep up with China? Can we keep it out?