Former intelligence officials, provincial leaders and federal investigators are examining claims that Buddhist organizations in Prince Edward Island may be connected to foreign interference and large-scale financial activity tied to China.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
Prince Edward Island, Canada’s smallest province, has become the focus of national attention following allegations that Buddhist monasteries operating there may be linked to large-scale money laundering and foreign influence connected to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), according to a report by LifeSite News.
A late-2024 report detailed how members of a Buddhist group known as Bliss and Wisdom reported approximately $500 million in assets in recent tax filings. The monks and nuns affiliated with the group first arrived in Prince Edward Island in 2008 and now number in the hundreds. While the organization states that it follows Tibetan Buddhist tradition, observers have noted that the Dalai Lama does not recognize the group’s original spiritual leader.
The concerns have drawn the attention of former national security officials. Michel Juneau-Katsuya, a former Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) officer, and Garry Clement, former national director of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) Proceeds of Crime Program, co-authored the book Canada Under Siege: How P.E.I. became a forward operating base for the Chinese Communist Party. The book describes Prince Edward Island as having been transformed into what the authors call a strategic foothold for Beijing.
Juneau-Katsuya has publicly urged federal authorities to conduct a full investigation. Provincial officials have also taken action. In February 2025, the Prince Edward Island government ordered a comprehensive review of land holdings connected to two Buddhist organizations: Great Wisdom Buddhist Institute Inc. and Great Enlightenment Buddhist Institute Society. Officials also sought clarification regarding a regulatory review that was reportedly initiated in 2018 but never formally completed.
In October 2025, after the province issued a subpoena to its land regulatory commission, the commission acknowledged that no report had been produced in 2018 concerning the Buddhist land acquisitions. Following that disclosure, Premier Rob Lantz requested that the RCMP initiate a full investigation into what he described as “allegations of foreign interference and money laundering,” stating that residents “deserve answers.”
The RCMP later announced that it had previously conducted investigations into alleged money laundering and foreign interference activities on the island, concluding at that time that the allegations were unfounded. However, the force indicated it would review its earlier findings in light of new information.
At an October 2025 news conference held alongside former Member of Parliament Kevin Vuong, Clement said, “What we found was money laundering, corruption, and elite capture, at the highest levels.” He stated that residents of Prince Edward Island had come forward with substantial information that, in his view, justified a comprehensive police investigation. Clement further asserted that the leader of the Buddhist organization in question has “direct” ties to the CCP.
The controversy unfolds amid broader concerns about foreign interference in Canada. China has been accused of election meddling, as reported by LifeSiteNews. A final report from Canada’s Foreign Interference Commission concluded that operatives from China may have assisted in electing a small number of Members of Parliament during the 2019 and 2021 federal elections and identified China as the primary foreign interference threat facing the country.
Additional reporting has alleged connections between Canadian political figures and international networks. LifeSiteNews reported on claims that Prime Minister Mark Carney and former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau are linked to an “elite network” of foreign actors, including individuals with ties to China and the World Economic Forum.
Carney recently suggested on a trip abroad that Canada’s relationship with China is more predictable than its relationship with U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration. Although Carney has since said China presents a security concern, he previously said in 2016 that the Communist Chinese regime’s “perspective” is “one of its many strengths.”
Further questions about transparency remain. As reported by LifeSiteNews, Canada’s intelligence agency declined to disclose how many federal ridings were targeted by foreign agents during the 2025 election campaign.
While no criminal wrongdoing has been proven in connection with the Prince Edward Island Buddhist groups, provincial leaders, former intelligence officials and federal authorities continue to face mounting pressure to clarify the scope of financial activity and any potential foreign ties. The situation has become a focal point in the broader debate over foreign interference, financial transparency and national security within Canada.
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