The former chief of staff to the Liberal public safety minister has denied allegations that he worked to delay the approval of an espionage warrant in early 2021 because it directly affected the Trudeau government’s operations.
Zita Astravas said in testimony late Wednesday at the federal inquiry into foreign interference that the claim was “completely false.”
The investigation found it took 54 days for the Canadian Security Intelligence Agency’s warrant application to be approved by then-Public Safety Minister Bill Blair.
The average turnaround time for such applications is 4 to 10 days.
Michel Tessier, CSIS’s deputy director of operations during the period, told the inquiry that he was frustrated by the delays.
Thirteen days after CSIS sent the warrant to Public Safety, Astravas attended a briefing on the warrant application, according to the timeline laid out in the investigation.
Astravas told the committee in closed session over the summer that the questions she asked during the briefing were typical of the questions she would raise regarding such applications.
According to a newly disclosed summary of that testimony, she provided a separate copy of the accompanying Van Wienen list, a list of individuals who may have contact with the subject of the warrant and therefore may be affected. He said he remembered the conversation.
Federal officials have refused to publicly discuss who CSIS wants to monitor through warrants, citing national security.
Gib van Ert, a lawyer for Conservative MP Michael Chong, told Astravas on Wednesday: “After seeing how deeply this warrant would involve CSIS in the affairs of your party and government, “Maybe they didn’t want to go ahead with it.” And if I had to move on, I would have preferred to walk slowly. ”
Astravas replied that he could not discuss the details of the warrant, “but I can tell you that your assumption is completely wrong.”
Mr Blair, who is now defense minister, is expected to give evidence before the commission of inquiry on Friday.
He has already stated in a closed-door interrogation that the first time he learned of the warrant application was on the day he remembered signing it.
Prime Minister Blair’s summary of evidence states: “He had no knowledge that it had been received by his office prior to that date.” “He did not know the date his office received the document, and no one showed him an earlier date on the document.”
The summary says that on the day he signed the warrant, he became aware that his office had had some discussions and questions with the Director of CSIS and the Deputy Secretary of Public Safety. “But he didn’t know how long he had been in his office.”
Astravas testified Wednesday that CSIS Director David Vigneault will flag the priority and “work with the director and his team” to get it on the minister’s agenda.
She said there were numerous contacts during this period involving the Director of CSIS, the Minister, and the Deputy Minister.
“At no point was (the warrant) raised as a matter of urgency.”
The commission’s latest hearings are examining federal agencies’ ability to identify and counter foreign interference. The final report is expected to be submitted by the end of the year.
National Security Adviser Nathalie Drouin said in separate testimony Wednesday that there are traitors in the House of Representatives, despite an eyebrow-raising report from the spy watchdog that raised questions about politicians’ loyalties. I denied the idea.
The National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliament said in June that some MPs were participating “half-intellectually or tactfully” in foreign efforts to interfere in Canadian politics.
The frank and vague claims by NSICOP, an intelligence agency made up of congressmen and senators sworn to secrecy, have raised concerns that those knowingly involved in the interference may still be conducting political activities. .
Mr Drouin, who advises the prime minister on intelligence matters, said on Wednesday that the watchdog’s conclusion that some MPs may have acted treasonously in a federal inquiry into foreign interference was deeply disturbing. spoke. Because that’s not her opinion.
Drouin said he learned about the inappropriate behavior and lack of judgment of certain politicians.
However, after reviewing the relevant information, we found that no Member of Parliament was involved in espionage, sabotage or other activities that jeopardized Canada’s security.
“I have great confidence in the current members of parliament,” Drouhin said in French.
To project any other impression would undermine Canadians’ trust in our democratic institutions, she added.
Investigative Commissioner Marie-Josée Hogue and her staff identified and reviewed intelligence reports referenced in both the confidential and public versions of the NSICOP report.
The investigation is also secretly questioning government officials and intelligence agencies about the findings.
However, Hogue said he would not publicly identify any members of Congress suspected of interference by NSICOP.
He warned that the specific allegations in the NSICOP report were based on confidential information, meaning it could not be made public in the investigation or disclosed to the person in question.
As a result, Hogue said the investigation would not be able to provide the individuals with a meaningful opportunity to defend themselves.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 9, 2024.
