Canada
This article was added by the user . TheWorldNews is not responsible for the content of the platform.

Foreign interference did not change past election results in ‘significant way’: Trudeau

Trudeau chose his words differently in English, and said that 'Canadians can be reassured that the integrity of our elections was not compromised'

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau stands during question period in the House of Commons on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, on Tuesday, November 29, 2022.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau stands during question period in the House of Commons on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, on Tuesday, November 29, 2022. Photo by Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press

OTTAWA — Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Tuesday that foreign interference, from China or elsewhere, did not change the results of the federal elections in 2019 or 2021 in a “significant way.”

Trudeau was asked repeatedly in question period by Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre to disclose if he had been informed by intelligence officials, law enforcement or the public service of allegations of “any interference” in Canada’s elections.

Sign up to receive the daily top stories from the National Post, a division of Postmedia Network Inc.

By clicking on the sign up button you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. You may unsubscribe any time by clicking on the unsubscribe link at the bottom of our emails. Postmedia Network Inc. | 365 Bloor Street East, Toronto, Ontario, M4W 3L4 | 416-383-2300

“Our intelligence and police services take very seriously the importance of fighting against foreign interference, including Chinese interference,” said Trudeau in French.

“But I can assure you and all Canadians that the 2019 and 2021 elections were not subject to interference that changed the results in any significant way,” he added.

Poilievre noted the qualification in the prime minister’s response, accusing him of having “used words to obscure the answer.”

“Was there any interference of any kind?” he tried again.

Trudeau replied that interference in Canadian affairs by foreign powers “is an ongoing thing,” whether it be cyber interference or attempts to influence the media, and that it is something that intelligence agents and police officers work “very, very hard to counter.”

  1. Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly, centre, with International Trade Minister Mary Ng and Public Safety Minister Marco Mendocino, obscured, arrive for a news conference to announce Canada's Indo-Pacific strategy, in Vancouver on November 27, 2022.

    John Ivison: Canada's modest Indo-Pacific ‘strategy’ has much to be modest about

  2. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has been warned that China has been interfering in Canada's democratic process, by funding candidates and sending agents to work for MPs.

    10/3 podcast: Canada failing to address Chinese influence in our elections

He, however, chose his words differently in English, and said that “Canadians can be reassured that the integrity of our elections was not compromised.”

“He still won’t answer the question,” said Poilievre.

Bloc Quebecois Leader Yves-François Blanchet said that RCMP Commissioner Brenda Lucki is reportedly now looking into China’s interference in Canada and that CSIS had allegedly warned the prime minister about China financing candidates in the 2019 election.

“That the prime minister was not aware or that he gets his information from the media, in any case, is not very reassuring in both cases,” said Blanchet.

Trudeau has repeatedly said he has never received the CSIS briefings and memos mentioned in a Global News report on Nov. 7 that alleged the prime minister was warned about China’s interference in the 2019 election and that China had funded at least 11 candidates back in 2019.

He has also declined to name any of the 11 candidates, or say whether any of them are sitting in the House of Commons.

Trudeau did, however, raise the issue of foreign interference with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the G20 summit in Indonesia earlier this month. Xi later confronted Trudeau, in an exchange captured by video, and said it was “not appropriate” to share the details of their conversation to the media.

“In Canada, we believe in a free and open and frank dialogue,” Trudeau told Xi.

Blanchet blasted Trudeau on Tuesday, saying he should have rallied some allies to make his case instead of “prancing” in front of the Chinese president.

“Canada has been working with its allies for years to combat foreign interference, including Chinese interference,” said Trudeau.

“We’ll continue to work with our allies to speak loud and clear about our values and principles.”