WATCH: Eby rejects 'false allegations' BC NDP minister under investigation for foreign interference

Premier David Eby has rejected claims that a sitting member of the BC NDP cabinet is under investigation for Chinese-linked foreign interference.

The allegations were first levelled by former Vancouver mayor Kennedy Stewart.

"It has come to my attention ... and I was interviewed for about four hours by lawyers working for the federal government about a BC cabinet minister under investigation for collaborating with the Chinese government," he told CKNW's Jas Johal on Monday. "I reported it to senior BC NDP officials, I know the premier's aware of it, I know many members of cabinet are aware of this."

Stewart added that he had signed a non-disclosure agreement, and was "taking a risk" by mentioning it in public.

During Question Period on Tuesday, BC Conservative interim leader Trevor Halford pressed Eby on the "startling" accusations, asking when he first learned of them.

"I have taken significant efforts in order to be briefed by both CSIS and the federal RCMP on issues of national security that relate to the government of British Columbia," Eby responded. "I have had multiple briefings with CSIS, with the RCMP, since obtaining top secret clearance ... I have never once been briefed by either the RCMP or CSIS about concerns related to any government caucus member or cabinet member. Period."

The premier went on to reassure his colleagues and members of the public that if any red flags came up, he would have addressed them accordingly.

"I would not hesitate to act," he said, "and at a minimum, if there was concern about a cabinet member — given the sensitive information that cabinet has access to — I would remove that person from cabinet."

Halford replied by quoting Stewart's aforementioned statement claiming Eby and other cabinet members were aware of the accusations.

"The former mayor of Vancouver, on losing the last municipal election, alleged that the Chinese government was collaborating with the candidate running against hime and caused him to lose the election," Eby explained. "I did door-knock with Kennedy during the municipal election, and I can assure this house, that he did not lose the election because of the Chinese government. He has made these allegations previously; I am aware of these allegations."

He reiterated that since receiving top-secret clearance from the federal government, he has asked at every briefing whether there are any officials or companies in BC that might be compromised.

"Never once has CSIS or the RCMP shared any concerns at all about any member of government caucus," Eby declared, adding that he has not spoken with Stewart for "probably three years."