One of the best ways to counter foreign interference in Canadian politics is to ensure that all party leaders undergo security checks and are able to share information that could influence the party or candidates. said Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s chief of staff on Tuesday.
Katie Telford, who gave evidence before the inquiry into foreign interference, said it was important political leaders were briefed on the information, even if they could not tell anyone.
“It only helps if leaders have that information,” she says. “That’s why we encourage all leaders to get permission.”
Mr Telford said the intelligence would help inform party leaders’ decisions about candidates and appointments.
Mr Telford also warned that intelligence information could contain errors. She cited one case in which intelligence agencies claimed a meeting had taken place even though they knew it had not taken place.
Most current Federalist leaders have accepted the government’s invitation to undergo security checks to be briefed on sensitive information regarding attempts by other countries to interfere in Canadian politics.
The only resistance so far has been Conservative Party leader Pierre Poièvre, who has argued that if he agrees to a press conference he may be unable to speak.
Telford’s comments echoed those of NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh on Tuesday. Reacting to news that the federal government had expelled six Indian diplomats after the RCMP publicly linked Indian government officials to “widespread violence” in Canada, Singh said Poièvre had secured security clearance. He said the refusal was “alarming”.
“I don’t want the Indian government to think that one political leader is turning a blind eye when allegations of this serious level are being raised,” Singh told reporters. .
Meanwhile, the Prime Minister’s deputy chief of staff Brian Crowe and senior global affairs adviser Patrick Travers told the inquiry on Tuesday that the Prime Minister’s Office had received significant foreign information about China’s targeting of Conservative MP Michael Chong and plans for foreign interference. He said it has been kept a secret. By the Chinese government in Canada.
In both cases, Mr Telford, Mr Crowe and Mr Travers claimed they first learned of the allegations from leaked reports.
Mr Telford said the government had since taken steps to improve the secure transmission of intelligence information within the government and track who saw it.
More details later…
