The disturbing revelations of foreign interference were ultimately only embryonic until now. The worst was clearly yet to come. These disruptive state efforts were ultimately not only led by international agents, but also domestic ones, operating within the confines of the Canadian parliament. The destabilizing maneuvers did not only target our elections, but also the work and deliberations of parliamentarians thus targeted by their own colleagues. This anti-democratic saga captivates the audience much less than a spy film, but its storyline is no less chilling.
In a devastating report, members of the Committee of Parliamentarians on National Security and Intelligence accuse their own colleagues — without naming or counting them — of having participated as “half-willing or willing” collaborators in interference efforts. foreign. The transpartisan finding further confirms the indolence of Justin Trudeau’s government in this matter, accusing it of having ignored many of their recommendations for six years now.
The bill finally responding in part, C-70, was only tabled in the spring. Parliamentarians from both Houses still do not receive systematic and recurring information sessions on threats and interference techniques. The report also reveals that although the intelligence services may have suspected as early as 2019 that a Chinese diplomat should be expelled, Zhao Wei was not declared persona non grata that after his attempts to intimidate conservative Michael Chong made headlines last year. In light of the document, this laxity of the Trudeau government, which was already unjustifiable, becomes even more unacceptable.
Because we learn that “a few parliamentarians” shared with foreign agents downright confidential or privileged information regarding the opinions of their colleagues, for example knowing that the latter would then be the target of inappropriate pressure to make them change their minds. . In return for these revelations, these same parliamentarians accepted, knowingly or through willful ignorance, “funds or advantages” from foreign missions or solicited their help to obtain the support of community groups. The People’s Republic of China poses the greatest threat. India comes in second place, its Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, being suspected of having ordered the assassination of a Canadian of Sikh origin in Vancouver, having just been re-elected.
Probably a year before the next federal election, Canadians will be disturbed to learn that certain MPs (perhaps even their own) are in collusion with a foreign state. What remained of their already shaken confidence in our electoral process has just shattered into a thousand pieces, which we will have to work to put back together without delay.
The government, on the contrary, cast doubt on certain conclusions of the report and left it to the police authorities for further action, while the committee specifically noted that certain actions detected could be illegal “but will probably not result in criminal charges” since secret intelligence struggles to be converted into evidence.
On the opposition side, Conservatives and New Democrats, like the government, avoided committing to taking action against the targeted parliamentarians. And the Conservative leader, Pierre Poilievre, whose party was allegedly the target of interference during two leadership races according to the report, refuses to obtain a secret security clearance which would allow him to consult a non-public version. redacted as well as the names of the suspected deputies.
Preferring the avenue of simplicity, to relentlessly summon the government to publicly identify them, Mr. Poilievre conveniently chooses to ignore that such revelations would contravene the Protection of Information Act while jeopardizing ongoing investigations. as well as secret service methods and sources.
However, party leaders do not have their hands tied. They can and must all contribute to disrupting these interference activities, failing to be able to expose and completely eradicate them. By making the culprits understand that they no longer have their place in Parliament or as candidates in the next elections.
Party authorities must also urgently correct the gaping flaws in the leadership races and, even more so, in the nomination processes while there is still time.
The time has come for multi-party action and no longer for political jousting. The government has erred on the side of inertia, but the opposition parties can no longer simply denounce it. Now that foreign interference has potentially crept into their own ranks, it is up to them all to save the integrity of the democracy they claim to want to protect.