In terms of the reservations expressed as a prelude to the commission of inquiry into foreign interference, some, like those of the diasporas targeted for too long by the authoritarian regime of their homeland while being ignored by their new governments, have more scope. The contribution of these citizens, at the forefront of these devious maneuvers of influence, is essential to the work of Judge Marie-Josée Hogue. The magistrate’s speech of appeasement was therefore essential. It remains to be hoped that it would have reassured them.
Because the defense groups of these minorities, several of whom deplore having been repeatedly intimidated by the communist regime of China, are worried to see taking part in the commission three politicians suspected of being too close to Beijing by the intelligence services Canadians. From the first minutes of her opening speech on Monday, Judge Marie-Josée Hogue took care to recognize the vulnerability of members of the Chinese, Uighur and Hong Kong diasporas. And to reiterate that, in certain cases, it could be necessary to protect the identity of certain witnesses or to anonymize part of the information that they would like to transmit to the commission. “I will not hesitate to do so when I consider it appropriate,” the magistrate kindly assured.
The concerns of these communities arise from a reality many times denounced, but until now too often neglected by the authorities. Beyond the disturbing revelations of repeated electoral interference, academic espionage and theft of industrial intellectual property, this foreign influence is also exercised in the form of overseas “control” of protesting minorities.
Dissidents whose tires have been slashed, their student visas blocked, their passport applications refused or their business opportunities short-circuited. Activists who say they have been harassed. Or whose family, remaining in Asia, is threatened with reprisals by Beijing agents who order these nationals to stop their “activism”, in the streets or in the media, and to fall into line even on Canadian soil.
The campaign of intimidation orchestrated by a former Chinese diplomat against conservative MP Michael Chong, part of whose family still lives in Hong Kong, has been widely publicized. But several anonymous dissidents live in the same terror. And today they fear paying the costs of their participation in this commission of inquiry.
The exercise was destined to have to deal with the challenges of its complexity: studying and evaluating clandestine interference as well as the effectiveness of secret processes aimed at countering it. Aside from probably at most five weeks of public hearings, much of the analytical work will take place behind closed doors or behind closed doors. Approximately 80% of the documents that the commission will review are additionally classified, and 80% of these are classified as top secret or even more protected by national security confidentiality.
This entire investigation now rests entirely, whether we like it or not, on the essential trust that she must be entrusted with. Particularly by these diasporas who are among the first concerned.
The judge warned that, while offering anonymity to those who justifiably request it, she would work to protect the rights of other participants, including their right to have their reputation preserved. Testimonies could thus be reframed, elements of information ignored. The coming weeks will reveal whether community members are indeed able to have faith in this delicate balance into which the commissioner is venturing.
Pierre Poilievre’s conservatives, for their part, persist in ignoring the commission of inquiry that they have called for for months. Frustrated at having only been granted full “party” status for the second phase of the commission, the conservative party announced that it would only follow the deliberations by video, and not in person… A childish stubbornness, which does not bode well for this public inquiry on which the already eroded confidence of Canadian society in its institutions and its elections also rests.
By inviting Judge Hogue to broaden the scope of her investigation to Iran – accused by the American authorities of having plotted an assassination with Canadian members of the Hells Angels – the Conservative Party finally made an all too rare contribution to the fate on Tuesday. of Canadian democratic sovereignty. It is high time that its leader, Pierre Poilievre, took inspiration from it.