Canada says WeChat news account pushing false narratives about PM Mark Carney

Ottawa said the account had targeted Carney’s experience and credentials in a bid to manipulate Chinese voters

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Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney speaks at the Victoria Edelweiss Club during his election campaign tour in Victoria, British Columbia, on Monday. Photo: Reuters

Published: 1:43am, 8 Apr 2025Updated: 9:07am, 8 Apr 2025

Canada said on Monday the most popular news account on Chinese social media platform WeChat was pushing false narratives about Prime Minister Mark Carney in a bid to influence the Canadian election campaign.

“The information operation targeting Mr Carney is deliberately amplifying narratives in a coordinated and inauthentic way on WeChat, to Chinese audiences, including communities living in Canada,” the government’s Privy Council Office said.

In a statement, Ottawa said the account had targeted Carney’s experience and credentials in a bid to manipulate Chinese voters. The effort would not affect the course of the April 28 election, it added.

The messaging is being spread by the Youli-Youmian account, Canada said, citing intelligence reporting that linked the outlet to China’s Communist Party.

A spokesperson for the Chinese embassy in Ottawa said they were unaware of the information operation.

It is simply absurd and unjustified to launch [a] groundless smear and attack against the Chinese government on the basis of individual remarks on a social media platform. China firmly opposes this and will never accept it,” the spokesperson said in an email.

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