Ian Dowbiggin: The mysterious Chinese-linked cult that's taking over P.E.I.

Early in 2025, the final report from Judge Marie-Josée Hogue’s Public Inquiry Into Foreign Interference in Federal Electoral Processes and Democratic Institutions revealed that foreign actors, notably the People’s Republic of China, pose an “existential threat” to Canadian democracy.

What the report did not say was that nowhere in Canada is that threat more glaring than on Prince Edward Island, Canada’s smallest province. P.E.I. provides a glimpse into how the controversy over the presence of Chinese Communist Party (CCP)-directed organizations warrants transparency and accountability, features that have been conspicuously missing in Anne of Green Gables land.

That was the topic of an event in Ottawa on Oct. 8. Attendees included journalists, researchers, concerned citizens, intelligence