Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press/AP
Canada’s intelligence service, the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS), has found evidence suggesting China played a clandestine role in influencing the country’s last two federal elections, an official investigation disclosed on Monday. This revelation marks a significant acknowledgment of foreign interference within Canadian democratic processes.
According to a recent Reuters report, The probe, initiated by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau amid concerns raised by opposition parties and reports from Global News, focused on foreign entities meddling in the 2019 and 2021 elections, both of which saw Trudeau’s Liberal Party emerge victorious.
During a commission session, a slide from a February 2023 CSIS briefing highlighted, “The PRC (People’s Republic of China) clandestinely and deceptively interfered in both the 2019 and 2021 elections.” The interference aimed to support candidates who were either favorable to or neutral on policies concerning the Chinese government.
Erin O’Toole, former Conservative leader, speculated that such interference might have led to his party losing up to nine seats in the 2021 elections, although he clarified it did not alter the overall outcome. The CSIS assessment pointed out the low-risk and high-reward nature of foreign interference in Canada due to the lack of stringent legal or political consequences.
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Critics, including intelligence analysts and members of the Conservative party, argue that Trudeau’s administration has not taken adequate measures to counteract Chinese influence. Trudeau is expected to address the commission on this matter.
The Conservative Party, known for its firm stance on China, has criticized Beijing‘s human rights practices and proposed banning Huawei from Canada’s 5G networks in its 2021 campaign.
The commission also heard from a New Democrat legislator who noticed a decline in invitations from the ethnic Chinese community after criticizing Beijing‘s policies on Hong Kong. Canada, with a significant Chinese-descent population, is navigating the complexities of international relations and domestic policy in light of these interference allegations.
The Chinese embassy has yet to respond to the CSIS findings, and further developments are anticipated as the commission continues its inquiry into foreign influence on Canada’s electoral integrity.
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