Trudeau dodges Poilievre questions on China's election interference
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.
“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.”
He, however, chose his words differently in English, and said that “Canadians can be reassured that the integrity of our elections was not compromised.”
Related video: Trudeau says he's never received information on 'funding of federal candidates by China'
Global News
cbc.ca“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.”
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