Prime Minister Justin Trudeau testified Wednesday at a public inquiry into foreign interference, saying he knew about foreign attempts to interfere in Canadian politics, making the House of Commons explosive that India was behind the murder of Hardeep Singh. He explained the circumstances that led to his assertion. Niger in June 2023.
His testimony lasted several hours and came days after RCMP said Indian government officials were involved in crimes in Canada. These allegations led to the expulsion of six diplomats from each country and a deep rift in diplomatic relations.
Here are five important points from Prime Minister Trudeau’s testimony.
PM focuses on conservatives
Prime Minister Trudeau said he knew the names of Conservative MPs involved in foreign interference, a claim that drew sharp criticism from the Conservative Party.
The prime minister also said he had instructed Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) to warn Conservative Party Leader Pierre Poièvre to protect the integrity of his party.
“I know the names of a number of Conservative Party of Canada MPs, former MPs and candidates who have either been involved in foreign interference, are at high risk of foreign interference, or have clear information regarding foreign interference. “There is a lot of information,” he said.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Wednesday that Conservative Leader Pierre Poièvre’s decision not to give a confidential briefing to the foreign interference inquiry means that no one in the Conservative Party “knows the names of these people and can’t take appropriate action.” ” means that.
In response to a question from Conservative lawyer Nando De Luca, Prime Minister Trudeau also said the list of MPs at risk of being endangered by foreign interference includes the names of Liberal MPs and individuals from other parties. Said to be included.
The term “Congressman” may refer to a member of the Senate or the House of Representatives.
Poiivre has so far resisted going through the security clearance process offered to him by the federal government, which would allow the Conservative leader to see information that Prime Minister Trudeau mentioned in his testimony. There is.
Conservatives argue that the permit would prevent Poièvre from questioning or challenging the government on foreign interference issues.
Trudeau testified that Poièvre’s decision means “no one in the party, including himself, knows the names of these people and can take appropriate action.”
In a media statement, Poièvre called on Prime Minister Trudeau to “publish the names of all MPs who collaborated with foreign interference.”
“But he won’t, because Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is doing what he always does: He’s lying.”
Poièvre also wrote that on October 14, he received a briefing from senior government officials regarding the “issue of foreign interference from India,” and that his chief of staff also received a confidential briefing.
“The government has never told me or my chief of staff that current or former Conservative MPs or candidates are knowingly participating in foreign interference,” he said in a media statement. said.
South Asian lawmakers helped expedite investigation into Nijjar’s murder
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told the inquiry that the initial assessment of the killing of Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar was “gang-related or criminal-related,” but South Asian parliamentarians and members of the community believe the Indian government was involved. He said that he suggested.
Nijal, a key organizer of India’s overseas referendum on an independent Sikh state, was shot to death in the parking lot of a temple in Surrey, British Columbia, last June.
“There was no clear and immediate international relevance to this,” Prime Minister Trudeau told the inquiry. “And that’s how we were briefed a few days after the killing.”
But Prime Minister Trudeau said he asked intelligence agencies to investigate after hearing firsthand from South Asian parliamentarians and community members that the killings were likely connected to India “with great persistence.” Ta.
“And it turns out they were doing this anyway to take a closer look at the circumstances of this particular murder,” Trudeau added.
Prime Minister Trudeau says he had conflict with Prime Minister Modi during summit meeting
The prime minister testified that the government decided not to publicize the alleged death of Nijjar before India hosted the G20 in September last year.
“Advancing these claims in advance could have resulted in a very uncomfortable summit for India. We chose not to do so and continue to work behind the scenes to get India to cooperate. I made a choice,” he said. Prime Minister Trudeau said.
“What they asked us was, ‘How much do you know? Tell us what evidence you have of this.'” Our response was, ‘Well, this is It’s an internal matter within the security services, and we should find out how much they know.’ ”
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said he spoke with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi about the death of Canadian Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
Trudeau said the exchange culminated during a conversation he had with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the summit.
“I sat down and shared what I knew they were involved with and expressed serious concerns about it. [Modi] “The usual response was that there are people in Canada who are outspoken opponents of the Indian government and they want to see them arrested.”
Prime Minister Trudeau announced the allegations in the House of Commons after returning from last year’s G20 summit.
Prime Minister Trudeau says he learned of Chung’s suspicions through the media
In his testimony, Prime Minister Trudeau said he first learned through the media that the Chinese government was allegedly targeting Conservative MP Michael Chong.
“My immediate reaction was to look at me. [national security intelligence adviser] “Let’s find out exactly what the threat is and if that’s what it really is, why do I only find out about this in the newspapers,” Trudeau said.
In an in-camera hearing, Prime Minister Trudeau inferred from media headlines that China had chosen to go after Chong’s family to put pressure on Conservative MPs, according to documents submitted to the inquiry. said.
Prime Minister Trudeau also said in on-camera testimony that his reasoning was not shared by expert intelligence analysts.
Prime Minister Trudeau said his comments were not meant to trivialize the “real issue” of China naming members of parliament who criticize Beijing’s actions.
“However, the stories that have been spread about this case, the stories that have been spread around Michael Chong’s family, are completely unsupported by any actual information or analysis by intelligence officials,” he said.
Canada asks China to dismiss diplomat
Prime Minister Trudeau told the inquiry that Canada told the Chinese government that the Chinese diplomat accused of targeting Mr. Zheng’s family before declaring Mr. Zhao a “personality” and deporting him from the country. He said he called for Zhao Wei’s dismissal.
Mr. Zhao reportedly played a role in an attempt to gather information about Mr. Zheng’s family in Hong Kong in 2021, following condemnation from lawmakers over the Chinese government’s actions in the Xinjiang region.
Prime Minister Trudeau said there were messages exchanged with Chinese officials before Zhao’s ouster. He previously testified that he told Chinese officials that China needed to stop interfering in Canadian democracy.
“Despite this and many other messages to China, interference continued and in some cases increased,” Trudeau said.
Prime Minister Trudeau said when Zhao’s alleged activities became public, it meant he could “no longer serve as a regular diplomat in Canada.”
Prime Minister Trudeau also said that while the decision to expel a diplomat rests with the foreign minister and does not need to approve it, he is at least “involved” in the deliberations.
“Expelling a diplomat is not a small thing, it’s a big thing. It’s right and appropriate that the power rests at the foreign minister level,” Trudeau said. “But it is something that I, as prime minister, keep up to date with.”
The panel will hold final public hearings from October 21-25 to hear experts’ opinions on policies the committee should include in its recommendations.
