Should a probe on foreign election interference in Canada expand? Committee to decide – National | 24CA News

Canadian MPs are looking for to develop an ongoing probe into allegations of international interference makes an attempt in Canada’s politics.

A gathering of the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs on Tuesday afternoon is ready to debate increasing the scope of the examine on international election interference in Canada after six members requested it.

It’s not clear but what the expanded examine may embody, however the assembly comes simply days after a brand new report of Chinese makes an attempt to meddle in Canada’s federal elections.

The Globe and Mail reported on Friday that China deployed a “sophisticated strategy” within the 2021 election to defeat Conservative candidates and try and help the federal Liberals in the direction of a minority authorities, citing nationwide safety memos.

That report adopted months of unique reporting by Global News into allegations of tried Chinese interference, beginning with a Nov. 7, 2022, report that Canadian intelligence officers had warned Trudeau that China has allegedly been focusing on Canada with an unlimited marketing campaign of international interference, together with by means of the funding of a clandestine community of not less than 11 federal candidates working within the 2019 election, in response to Global News sources.

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On Dec. 21, 2022, Global News reported that an unredacted 2020 nationwide safety doc alleges that Beijing used an intensive community of neighborhood teams to hide the stream of funds between Chinese officers and Canadian members of an election interference community, all in an effort to advance its personal political agenda within the 2019 federal contest.

And on Feb. 8, 2023, Global News reported that nationwide safety officers drafted a warning for Trudeau and his workplace greater than a yr earlier than the 2019 federal election, alleging that Chinese brokers have been “assisting Canadian candidates running for political offices,” in response to a Privy Council Office doc reviewed by Global News.

Following Global News’ first report, MPs agreed final yr to probe the allegations of Chinese makes an attempt to meddle within the 2019 federal elections.

That probe may now widen to incorporate the 2021 elections.

Since November, the committee has already heard from quite a few witnesses on the matter, together with Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly, Intergovernmental Affairs Minister Dominic LeBlanc, David Mulroney, former Canadian ambassador to China, Elections Canada, and CSIS in addition to RCMP officers.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau mentioned Friday that China is making an attempt to intervene in Canadian democracy, “including our elections,” however mentioned it stays clear Canadians have been those who determined the result of the 2 latest federal elections.

— with recordsdata from Global News’ Irelyne Lavery. 

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