Canada’s intelligence agency says it will be able to brief more Canadians about sensitive information than ever before, but will not be able to share personal information or names unless those briefed have the proper authorization.
The clarification from the Canadian Security and Intelligence Service (CSIS) comes about why Conservative leader Pierre Poièvre refused to obtain top-level security clearance needed to view classified documents related to foreign interference. The announcement came amid tense debate in the political world.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Wednesday that a public inquiry into foreign election interference has identified classified information showing Conservative MPs are involved in or susceptible to foreign interference.
“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.
Conservative Party leader Pierre Poièvre has resisted going through confidentiality procedures that would allow him to see information about foreign interference. Two former CSIS directors speak to CBC’s David Cochrane about what this clearance means and how long it will last.
In his testimony, Trudeau said Poièvre was “irresponsible” by rejecting a process to obtain a top-secret security clearance that the prime minister said would allow the Conservative leader to be briefed on allegations about his party. denounced.
“The Conservative leader’s decision not to allow them access to confidential interviews means that neither he nor anyone else in a position of power within the party knows the names of these individuals and cannot take appropriate action,” Trudeau said. said.
He also said that when information is “shoddy”, incomplete or based on a single source, it means no one in the party can speak for the people in question.
Testifying at a hearing on foreign interference, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau attacked Conservative Leader Pierre Poièvre for refusing to give him a security clearance needed to explain his case. Prime Minister Trudeau also provided further details about India’s alleged involvement in targeting Canadians, saying he knew the names of Conservative MPs involved in foreign interference.
Poiivre quickly retaliated with a statement accusing the prime minister of lying and arrogant claims.
“Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is doing what he always does. He’s lying. He’s trying to distract from the Liberal caucus’ revolt against his leadership, and he’s deliberately allowing the Chinese government to intervene. “He has been lying since the revelation that he helped him win two elections,” he wrote.
In the statement, the Conservative leader suggested that there are other ways for the government to share classified information and that there is no need to obtain security clearance.
Poièvre said obtaining the necessary permissions to view these unclassified details would prevent him from questioning or challenging the government on foreign interference issues.
New law allows CSIS to brief more Canadians, with restrictions
The CSIS Act allows the government to provide “information about specific risks of foreign interference without forcing Canadians into sworn secrecy or restricting their speech,” Poièvre wrote.
Last spring, the House of Commons passed the Government’s Countering Foreign Interference Bill, officially known as Bill C-70, with wide support.
This law authorized CSIS to disclose classified information beyond the federal government.
“These new authorities will allow CSIS to share information more frequently, with the aim of strengthening society as a whole’s resilience to threats,” said CSIS spokesperson John Townsend. Ta.
But CSIS said there are limits.
“Importantly, these changes include strict restrictions on disclosing personal information about Canadian citizens, permanent residents, or Canadian individuals, as well as the names of Canadian entities and companies, without additional authorization. ” Townsend said.
“CSIS welcomes any opportunity to brief elected officials on the threat landscape with appropriate classification.”
“Threat mitigation measures”
At Wednesday’s Inquiry Hearing, Conservative lawyer Nando De Luca also said CSIS could be put at risk by foreign interference using what are called “Threat Mitigation Measures” (also known as TRMs). He claimed that he might inform Mr. Poièvre about a certain party member.
Townsend said CSIS does not discuss specific TRM measures, but said sharing sensitive information is something CSIS does to mitigate specific threats to Canada’s national security.
“Once this threshold is reached, CSIS can take specific actions to mitigate the threat,” he said.
“Any Threat Mitigation Measures (TRM) shall take into account the nature of the threat, the measures taken, the availability of other means to address the threat, and the potential impact on third parties, including privacy rights. must be reasonable and proportionate.”
Former CSIS Director Richard Fadden told CBC News. power and politics He said Wednesday that the threat mitigation measures are intended to alert politicians themselves to potential targets and will not be used to share sensitive information with party leaders.
“You can’t give sensitive information to people who don’t have security clearance. Can you play around with the margins and try to get people to think differently? Yes, but that’s not what we’re talking about.” he said.
The Conservative Party leader said his chief of staff, Ian Todd, had 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,” Poièvre said in a media statement. No,” he said.
“If Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has evidence to the contrary, he should share it with the public. He made a general statement at the commission, he should put the facts out there. But he won’t… -Because he won’t. Raise it.”
Ward Elcock, another former CSIS director, said CSIS does not brief chiefs of staff on foreign interference issues involving individual members of Congress.
“What can the chief of staff do with that information?” Elcock said. “Because Mr. Poilievre does not have permission, the chief of staff cannot pass on information to him. And the chief of staff has no authority to do anything to or make decisions about members of Congress. There is no authority because he is not the Prime Minister.” ”
Prime Minister Trudeau did not elaborate on the allegations about the Conservative MP in his testimony Wednesday.
In June, the Parliamentary Committee on National Security and Intelligence (NSICOP), an intelligence watchdog made up of MPs and senators sworn to secrecy, published an unclassified version of its report on foreign interference in Canada’s elections. announced.
The report said foreign actors from India and the People’s Republic of China are suspected of interfering in several Conservative Party of Canada leadership elections, based on information that MPs were able to see and hear.
Most details were redacted from the report for national security reasons.
Poilievre has been receiving more calls asking for security clearance.
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh said Conservative Leader Pierre Poièvre’s argument that security clearance would prevent him from speaking out about foreign interference “carries no weight.” Poièvre also said in a media statement Wednesday that his chief of staff has received a confidential briefing. Singh said Poièvre’s comments “do not give me much confidence that he is taking this seriously.”
At a news conference Thursday, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh said the “only reason” Poilievre was reluctant to get that information was because he “wanted to protect his party more than his country.”
“It’s funny to me that someone who claims to want to be the prime minister of this country doesn’t want to know about the serious ongoing threats that affect Canadians,” he added.
In a press statement released Thursday, Green Party Leader Elizabeth May said, “The only way Canadians will know that their government and opposition parties are not being compromised by foreign interference is if their leader seeks top-secret security clearance.” “It is important to obtain this information in a timely manner.”
“I have been urging him to do so since June 2024, and I ask him to do it now with even more urgency,” May added.
