The Bureau Podcast

• Breaking Down Carney’s Beijing Investments, CCP Greenwashing, and the Echoes of 1938—Plus a Careful Look at His WEF and AIIB Ties

  In this discussion with Jason James, a few weeks before Mark Carney became Canada’s prime minister—securing nearly 90 percent of votes in the opaque Liberal Party contest to replace Justin Trudeau—I explained why I cautiously explored Carney’s role in international multilaterals and investments where Beijing’s influence is evident, such as the World Economic Forum. Our conversation also touches on my assessment of the growing collision course between Washington and Beijing, which may partly explain President Donald Trump’s wrecking-ball approach to international alliances, supply chains, and diplomacy.“This is, tragically, like 1938,” I said. “It seems like that’s where we are. And if you understand that, whatever your interest is in the world—if you have some time for geopolitics—I’m not saying the confusion goes away, but the fog starts to lift.”The Bureau is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thebureau.news/subscribe

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• Allies or Adversaries? Decoding Trump’s Disruption in Canada, Ukraine and Europe

  Thanks for coming to The Bureau, where we provide some of the most sophisticated geopolitical analysis in the world—especially in these turbulent times.That’s the theme today: many Canadians are shocked and concerned by reports that the Trump administration may be considering cutting Canada out of the Five Eyes alliance, imposing border adjustments, and even referring to Canada as the '51st state.' So, what is really going on here?Chris Meyer, a former U.S. official who, like me, has spent the past decade studying China’s global influence operations, has some interesting advice for Canadians and our elected MPs (and Liberal-leader elect Mark Carney.)In our conversation, the concept of cognitive dissonance emerges—two competing ideas, each containing some truth, yet their contradictions breed confusion and chaos. On one side is Trump’s sledgehammer rhetoric, coupled with his tactical, transactional approach to ‘deal-making’—a style that risks inflicting lasting damage on one of the most vital modern democratic alliances: the Canada-U.S. relationship. Beyond that, it threatens to undermine the post-World War II Anglo intelligence alliance.On the other, there’s the stark reality that Canada has deep border and port vulnerabilities to China and organized crime—issues that have long raised concerns within U.S. administrations, past and present, as I know from my reporting. And that concern is only growing as the risk of a larger war involving China, Taiwan, Russia, and Europe intensifies.The Bureau is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Currently, Meyer serves as the head of the U.S. Micronesia Council and is the founder of WideFountain, a platform for in-depth geopolitical analysis.A passionate China observer since age 16, Meyer studied East Asian Studies at George Washington University, where he wrote a thesis on the geopolitical dimensions of China’s Special Economic Zones.His career includes:* Five years in sales and marketing with a U.S. Fortune 500 company.* Service in the U.S. diplomatic corps as an Asia expert at the Development Finance Corporation (DFC).* Consulting on U.S. government projects, particularly in Micronesia.* Founding an edtech company, patenting innovative products, and building supply chains in Taiwan and China. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thebureau.news/subscribe

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• Five Eyes Fallout: Why the U.S. Sees Canada as the Weak Link

  I wasn't surprised by the Financial Times report indicating that Peter Navarro, a senior Trump administration official known for his ultra-hawkish stance on China, was circulating plans to limit U.S. national security exposure to Canada. The U.S. perceives Canada as the weakest link in the Five Eyes intelligence alliance due to its vulnerabilities to Chinese infiltration. Two weeks ago, a military source shared a report with me confirming that similar discussions were taking place within the U.S. national security and military community, pointing directly to Navarro. And according to my military source, expelling Canada from Five Eyes is just one of several actions under discussion.As I’ve discussed before, this aligns with broader U.S. concerns—for example, the People's Liberation Army's breach of Canada’s Level 4 Lab in Winnipeg and the inexplicable return of the main suspects Dr. Qiu and Keding Cheng to China after allegedly transferring sensitive bioweapon research to Wuhan. The fact that Canada also partnered with CanSino, a PLA-linked company, on a COVID-19 vaccine only deepens those concerns. CanSino was part of the Winnipeg Lab breach plot according to CSIS. This isn’t speculation—it’s open-source fact. As I reported a year ago:The CSIS report adds Qiu was "dismissive" when asked if she thought her collaborations with WIV and other Chinese institutions involved in the Thousand Talents program including CanSino Biologics "have assisted the capabilities of the PLA."Now, think about what the U.S. government knows that we don’t?In this discussion with Jason James of BNN—recorded before FT broke this Five Eyes exclusion story—I answered his question about what the Trump administration really means when it warns of Canada’s fentanyl vulnerabilities. As Trump escalates economic pressure and even suggests Canada should become the 51st state, his trade adviser Navarro is dismissing the report on Canada’s removal from Five Eyes as ‘crazy stuff.’ But make no mistake. Before the Financial Times report, I already had sources pointing to these exact concerns—now they’re out in the open. Canada needs to take these concerns seriously and act accordingly.The Bureau is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thebureau.news/subscribe

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• Exclusive: Secretary of State Warned B.C. Mayor U.S. Agencies Are Withholding Evidence Due to Canada’s Legal Loopholes and Lack of Fentanyl Prosecutions

  In this explosive interview, B.C. Mayor Brad West reveals sensitive details from his 2023 meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, including Blinken’s unsettling claim that American agencies are holding back intelligence from Canada. “They’ve lost confidence,” West says, adding that U.S. officials are stunned by how much access major figures in Asian organized crime have to Canada’s political class.Listen to the interview, and stay tuned to The Bureau for continuing coverage of this developing story.The Bureau is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thebureau.news/subscribe

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• Mark Carney, Beijing's United Front, and the Battle for Richmond

  In this interview, Jason James of BNN Podcast asked me for a detailed breakdown of the Hogue Commission’s impact on the Asian diaspora—communities seeking protection after years of neglect from Canada’s federal government and courts.Sadly, I found that Hogue’s conclusions are already being weaponized against Conservative nomination candidate Kenny Chiu in Richmond, a key Vancouver-area riding targeted by Beijing’s Ministry of State Security.I explained that in 2021, Chiu’s Liberal opponent, Parm Bains, benefited from United Front Work Department support. Now, Liberal leadership frontrunner Mark Carney has appeared alongside Bains in Richmond—where a known United Front leader was seen apparently mobilizing support for Carney and Bains ahead of the next Canadian election.Meanwhile, Chiu’s opponent for the Conservative nomination is using Justice Hogue’s final report to accuse him of racism.My word for this: Egregious.[Clarification: B.C.’s Commission into Money Laundering actually had 101 Recommendations, which I argue, should be implemented to respond to the Trump Administration’s fentanyl concerns in Canada.]The Bureau is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thebureau.news/subscribe

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