Justin Trudeau’s vagueness about Beijing’s alleged interference in the 2019 federal election is as incomprehensible as it is irritating.
Since he returned from Asia, the Prime Minister has looked like a figure skater who weaves around the ice around the questions he is asked about it. But it’s anything but elegant.
What voters urgently need from their government is more transparency on this issue.
First, was there, yes or no, interference by China in the Canadian electoral process three years ago?
If so, how did this interference manifest itself?
Finally, what was its impact?
The allegations, made by the Global Network, are serious. In the process, moreover, the Prime Minister said he raised the issue of Chinese interference with President Xi Jinping during the G20 in Indonesia.
Let us recall what has been advanced:
- At least 11 candidates in the 2019 elections are said to have received funding from Beijing, both in the Liberal Party and the Conservative Party.
- Efforts have reportedly been led by China to plant Chinese Communist Party operatives in the offices of Canadian MPs “to influence policy.”
- Other initiatives were said to be aimed at “bribing” former Canadian government officials and, conversely, retaliating against politicians perceived by China as “threats to its interests”.
- The Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) reportedly informed Justin Trudeau and certain members of his cabinet of this interference last January.
But none of this has been publicly confirmed.
It’s a committee of the House of Commons (the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs) that will try to clarify all this over the next few weeks. The members have, among other things, requested the testimony of ministers and are seeking to obtain various relevant documents.
Another committee, that on Sino-Canadian relations, could also take up this matter quickly, following a motion by the Conservative Party. He would then hold hearings on the matter from a different angle, we are told.
Under the circumstances, it wouldn’t be too much.
Because we find ourselves in front of an enigma surrounded by mystery.
Asked about this last Friday during an editorial interview with The Pressthe Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mélanie Joly, was not able to dissipate the fog that prevents us from seeing things clearly.
She says she has no information to offer on these specific allegations and has not received any information from CSIS on this subject.
Allow us to insist: it is urgent to know whether these allegations are founded. And, if so, to understand what happened.
Making it a priority would be, for the Canadian government, consistent with the Indo-Pacific strategy that has just been made public by Minister Joly.
A strategy where we say we want to cooperate with China, but where we make it clear that we will no longer hesitate to tell Beijing its four truths.
When it deals with China, it writes in particular that “Canada will continue to strengthen the defense of infrastructure and democracy in Canada, and the protection of Canadian citizens against foreign interference”.
In the interview, Mélanie Joly showed firmness against Beijing.
She said that “our objective in our relations with China is, of course, going to be to protect our national interest”. She maintains that this must translate into “respect for our sovereignty and respect, also, for our national security”.
Many of us have been calling for such an approach for a long time.
But how can we be sure that our national interest will be well protected if it is difficult to shed light on the actions of foreign powers that could have compromised the integrity of our elections?
And how can we be sure of this, moreover, if we fail to show enough transparency in cases of interference?
These doubts the federal government must hasten to dispel.