Alleged Chinese spy in Quebec freed on bail ahead of trial
A former employee of Quebec's power utility who is charged with spying on behalf of China was granted bail Monday, after a judge said the accused was more likely than not to stay in Canada awaiting trial.
Yuesheng Wang, 35, is the first person to be charged with economic espionage under Canada's Security of Information Act. He also faces three charges under the Criminal Code: fraudulently using a computer, fraudulently obtaining a trade secret and breach of trust.
Federal prosecutors opposed his release because they felt he was a flight risk. But Quebec court Judge Marco LaBrie said detention pending trial wasn't necessary because of the "serious guarantees" that Wang offered as a condition of release.
"Zero-risk doesn't exist, but the court is convinced the probability is much more likely that Mr. Wang will remain in Canada and present himself for his trial," LaBrie said, as Wang listened to a translation in Mandarin.
Wang agreed to surrender his Chinese passport, carry a cellphone at all times so police can use GPS to geolocate him, and put up his two properties as a guarantee. Wang must also check in weekly at RCMP headquarters and is forbidden from contacting the Chinese government -- except to seek assistance with his case, and only after the contact is approved by his lawyer.
Wang, a Chinese national living in Canada on a work visa, worked in a specialized centre at Hydro-Quebec that developed technology for electric vehicles and energy-storage systems. He is alleged to have given information about the public corporation to a Chinese university and Chinese research centres, and to have transferred confidential documents and unauthorized photos to his personal email address. Police also allege that Wang used information without his employer's consent, harming Hydro-Quebec's intellectual property.
Last week, he took the witness stand during his two-day bail hearing -- an unusual move, as most defendants don't testify to the evidence against them during preliminary court proceedings. Wang denied all the charges and said he wanted to remain in Canada to clear his name.
During his testimony, Wang told the court that the information he is accused of stealing was "open source" and not a trade secret. He added that the photos he had taken of the laboratory were to identify security concerns. He said he had not shared the photos.
The judge said on Monday that there was no evidence presented at the bail hearing to suggest Wang had attempted to flee the country after his Nov. 14 arrest and his termination from Hydro-Quebec. He had been under RCMP surveillance for more than a month before he was charged.
Federal prosecutor Marc Cigana told reporters after the ruling that the judge's decision was "legally sound."
"The judge believed yes, there was a flight risk, but that risk was manageable, and he was able to manage it by imposing those conditions," Cigana said.
"I respect the judge's decision and I hope that Mr. Wang will also."
Defence lawyer Gary Martin said he accepted with humility the judge's ruling. "There's still a lot of work to be done, many things that are still coming from the Crown," Martin said. "I'm sure there's more reports, more evidence, more surveillance tapes. We'll have to work with that and get this case ready for a trial."
Wang's girlfriend, Yunfeng Zheng, put up $1,000 as part of his bail conditions. "Personally, I don't think he'll run away … I trust him very much," Zheng told reporters.
The resident of Candiac, Que., will remain detained until a notary draws up a court-ordered mortgage for his properties. The case will return to court on Dec. 13.
- This report by The Canadian Press was first published on Nov. 28, 2022
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Grandparent scam: London, Ont., senior beats fraudsters not once, but twice
It was a typical Tuesday for Mabel Beharrell, 84, until she got the call that would turn her world upside down. Her teenaged grandson was in trouble and needed her help.
Deaths of 4 people on Sask. farm confirmed as murder-suicide
The deaths of four people on a farm near the Saskatchewan village of Neudorf have been confirmed a murder-suicide.
CRA no longer requiring 'bare trust' reporting in 2023 tax return
The Canada Revenue Agency announced Thursday it will not require 'bare trust' reporting from Canadians that it introduced for the 2024 tax season, just four days before the April 2 deadline.
Full parole granted to man convicted in notorious 'McDonald's murders' in Cape Breton
The Parole Board of Canada has granted full parole to one of three men convicted in the brutal murders of three McDonald's restaurant workers in Cape Breton more than 30 years ago.
Incident on Calgary's Reconciliation Bridge comes to safe resolution
Nearly 20 hours after a man climbed and remained perched on top of the Reconciliation Bridge in downtown Calgary, the situation came to a peaceful resolution.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
George Washington family secrets revealed by DNA from unmarked 19th century graves
Genetic analysis has shed light on a long-standing mystery surrounding the fates of U.S. President George Washington's younger brother Samuel and his kin.
'We won't forget': How some Muslims view Poilievre's stance on Israel-Hamas war
A spokesman for a regional Muslim advocacy group says Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre's stance on the Israel-Hamas war could complicate his party's relationship with Muslim Canadians.
Why some Christians are angry about Trump's 'God Bless the USA' Bible
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is officially selling a copy of the Bible themed to Lee Greenwood’s famous song, 'God Bless the USA.' But the concept of a Bible covered in the American flag has raised concern among religious circles.