Lawmakers agree to investigate allegations of Chinese interference in federal elections

A multiparty group of lawmakers on the Procedures and House Affairs Committee agreed Monday to investigate allegations that the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and its agents have interfered in Canada’s political process.

Global News reported last week, citing unnamed sources, that China was behind a “massive campaign of foreign speculation” in Canadian politics.

Its campaign includes a “covert network” of candidates in the 2019 election, a movement to “put proxies in parliamentarians’ offices to influence policy,” and a “bribe of a former Canadian official. Attempts to corrupt and gain influence” were reportedly included. Ottawa” and a campaign to “punish Canadian politicians whom the People’s Republic of China deems a threat to its interests.”

Global reported that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and some cabinet members were briefed by intelligence agencies about these foreign interference allegations in January.

“No one has been deported…no one has been prosecuted.”

CSIS reportedly told Trudeau that the Chinese Consulate General in Toronto handed over cash to at least 11 federal candidates and “a number of Beijing operatives” who worked as campaign staff.

Conservative MP Michael Cooper has called for an emergency meeting on Monday – he will do anything to stop the Chinese Communist regime’s “sophisticated campaign” to “overthrow Canada’s democracy.” He said he needed a meeting because he had to.

Cooper said he was “disturbed” to hear that the prime minister had been briefed on these allegations earlier this year, but “nothing appears to have been done” to curb China’s alleged progress.

“No one has been deported from Canada, no one has been prosecuted, no apparent investigation has taken place, and no action has been taken by the government to respond to legislation,” he said. I was.

“This interference is simply intolerable. It is unacceptable.”

Liberal members of the committee agreed to look into the matter, but questioned Cooper’s claim that the government was doing nothing to address the Chinese threat.

They said little was really known about what the government did to thwart alleged Chinese intervention. He opposed the demand, saying such a move would reveal state secrets to rogues such as China, Russia and Iran.

Liberal MP Greg Fergus said the National Security Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians (NSICOP), a secret group of parliamentarians reviewing national security matters, was in the best position to review the documents. rice field.

“This is not the right place,” he said before successfully amending Cooper’s motion.

Liberal MP Jennifer O’Connell said she was relieved that “the Conservatives are finally waking up to foreign interference”, suggesting that the Tories have been reluctant to get involved in the issue in the past.

“The Conservatives have been slacking off when it comes to fighting foreign interference. They stood outside these doors with members of a convoy proposing to overthrow the entire government. asked to replace Trudeau during an anti-vaccine mandate protest in the Capitol.

“Where did they stand then in defending our democracy?” she asked.

Trudeau said last week that the world was changing “sometimes in a very frightening way” and that some state actors were determined to interfere in the affairs of a functioning democracy.

“Unfortunately, we see that countries and state actors around the world, whether China or not, continue to play aggressive games against our institutions and democracies.

“The people tasked with keeping us safe every day need to be able to do that, which is why we continue to invest in some of the tools and resources necessary to do so,” he said. rice field. To invest in intelligence agencies.

Conservative Party leader Pierre Pollievre criticized Prime Minister Trudeau for dealing with alleged Chinese interference, saying that the Procedures and House Affairs Committee (PROC) “won’t know what the Prime Minister knew, what he did to it.” and how we will act. We intend to protect our democracy from foreign interference. ”

PROC was investigating foreign election interference even before the global story about China was published.

CSIS Deputy Director Michel Tessier told lawmakers earlier this month that the spy agency was “increasingly concerned” about China’s attempts to influence Canadian politics.

“They are actors of foreign interference and we have said it publicly,” Tessier told lawmakers.

“We are concerned about activities related to threats to Canada’s security, including foreign interference by the Chinese Communist Party.”

As part of the investigation, the Commission will recall witnesses already heard in the ongoing investigation, including officials from CSIS, Elections Canada, and the Security and Intelligence Threats to Elections (SITE) Task Force.

It will also seek testimony from Dominique Leblanc, Minister for Intergovernmental Affairs, Melanie Jolie, Minister for Foreign Affairs, and the current Assistant to the Prime Minister.