Two agencies to investigate alleged foreign interference in 2019, 2021 Canadian elections: Justin Trudeau | World news
Toronto: Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has announced that two agencies will investigate allegations of Chinese interference in the country’s elections in 2019 and 2021, but a public inquiry into the matter will not take place this time. Law enforcement is investigating a leak of information that led to media revelations about Beijing’s alleged efforts to sway elections in favor of the ruling Liberal Party.
Speaking to reporters in Ottawa on Monday, Trudeau said the issue of foreign interference will be addressed in the National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliament (NSICOP) and the National Security and Intelligence Review Committee ( NURSING). None of the investigations will be public.
A release from the Prime Minister’s office said that NSICOP has been asked to “complete a review to assess the state of foreign interference in federal election processes.”
NSIRA is expected to look at “how Canada’s national security agencies handle the threat of foreign interference”.
Trudeau also announced that his government would appoint an independent Special Rapporteur on election interference with a “wide mandate” including making “expert recommendations on combating interference”. The person “will make public recommendations, which may include a formal inquiry or some other independent review process, and the Government of Canada will adhere to the recommendation”.
“Together, these measures will give us a better understanding of what happened in the last two general elections: how foreign governments tried to interfere, how security agencies in Canada responded to the threat of interference, and how information flows across the government,” he added.
He also said that discussions will begin this week on the establishment of a Foreign Influence Register, to track diplomats and diplomats for other countries. The government is also establishing a National Foreign Communications Interference Coordinator at Public Safety Canada to coordinate efforts to combat foreign interference.
Trudeau said, “We will always take foreign attempts to undermine our democracy seriously.”
Meanwhile, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) is investigating how documents from agencies including the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) were leaked to media outlets, and is forming the basis of a series of articles on Chinese interference. .
The opposition was not satisfied with Trudeau’s announcements on Monday, as Pierre Poilievre, the leader of the First Conservative Party, tweeted, “Trudeau refused to call a public question to Beijing’s interference in our elections. Instead, he wants a secret council, with secret hearings, secret evidence & secret decisions – all controlled by him. Canadians deserve the open, transparent truth. “
On Thursday, a Canadian Parliament committee, the Parliamentary Policy and Standing Committee of Parliament, issued a motion calling for a public inquiry into allegations of foreign interference in elections. A similar attempt is likely to be launched in the House by opposition parties.
Several demonstrations have increased pressure on the Trudeau government. On March 17, the Globe and Mail noted, “China uses an enhanced strategy to undermine Canadian democracy in the 2021 election campaign as Chinese diplomats and their proxies support the re-election of Justin Trudeau’s Liberals – but only to another minority government – and working to defeat conservative politicians perceived to be hostile to Beijing. ” That report was based on CSIS documents.
Then, the World News outlet cited a December 20, 2021 report from CSIS that said “The Liberal Party of Canada is becoming the only party the People’s Republic of China can support”.
Public opinion on the issue is not on Trudeau’s side. Earlier this month, the non-profit agency Angus Reid Institute released a survey which found that two-thirds of Canadians who believe Beijing tried to interfere in elections, more than half consider this a threat. a serious threat to Canadian democracy and nearly 70% believe his government is “afraid to stand up to China”.
