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Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, addressing a commission on Wednesday, vehemently defended the legitimacy of Canada’s last two elections amidst allegations of foreign interference, particularly from China. “Those elections held in their integrity, (they) were decided by Canadians,” Trudeau asserted, referring to the 2019 and 2021 elections, both of which saw his Liberal Party emerge victorious.
The independent commission, established to investigate the extent of foreign meddling in Canada’s democratic processes and Ottawa’s response, heard lengthy testimonies from Trudeau.This inquiry comes in response to a political scandal that has stirred significant concern across Canada for over a year, with the opposition Conservatives accusing the government of neglecting foreign interference efforts, especially by China. Beijing has, however, denied these allegations.
An intelligence report presented to the commission outlined China’s interference as “sophisticated, pervasive, persistent,” targeting various levels of government and civil society. Despite this, Trudeau and his ministers sought to minimize these findings, suggesting the intelligence was often inconclusive. Trudeau pointedly criticized the credibility of claims related to foreign influence, stating, “Bragging is not doing,” in reference to a foreign diplomat’s claim of influencing Canadian elections.
Throughout his three and a half hours of testimony, Trudeau emphasized the nascent state of Canada’s preparedness to counter foreign disinformation in elections upon his taking office in 2015. Despite establishing several protective measures since, he acknowledged, “There is always more to do.”
Erin O’Toole, Trudeau’s main opponent in the last election, contended that his Conservative Party lost up to eight seats due to foreign meddling, criticizing the government’s stance towards China, especially in light of human rights concerns and the security crackdown in Hong Kong.
Trudeau, however, disputed the likelihood of a Chinese preference in the election outcome, labeling such assertions as “very improbable,” despite acknowledging attempts by foreign entities to interfere. This testimony aligns with the narrative that, despite efforts by nations like China to meddle, the integrity of Canadian elections remained intact, led and decided by Canadians themselves.
This stance comes amidst ongoing scrutiny over Trudeau’s handling of foreign interference allegations, fueled by leaked intelligence reports and media stories suggesting targeted efforts by China to influence Canadian electoral outcomes. Trudeau’s administration has faced criticism for its response to these allegations, prompting the establishment of the public inquiry to thoroughly examine and address these concerns.
(With inputs from agencies)
The independent commission, established to investigate the extent of foreign meddling in Canada’s democratic processes and Ottawa’s response, heard lengthy testimonies from Trudeau.This inquiry comes in response to a political scandal that has stirred significant concern across Canada for over a year, with the opposition Conservatives accusing the government of neglecting foreign interference efforts, especially by China. Beijing has, however, denied these allegations.
An intelligence report presented to the commission outlined China’s interference as “sophisticated, pervasive, persistent,” targeting various levels of government and civil society. Despite this, Trudeau and his ministers sought to minimize these findings, suggesting the intelligence was often inconclusive. Trudeau pointedly criticized the credibility of claims related to foreign influence, stating, “Bragging is not doing,” in reference to a foreign diplomat’s claim of influencing Canadian elections.
Throughout his three and a half hours of testimony, Trudeau emphasized the nascent state of Canada’s preparedness to counter foreign disinformation in elections upon his taking office in 2015. Despite establishing several protective measures since, he acknowledged, “There is always more to do.”
Erin O’Toole, Trudeau’s main opponent in the last election, contended that his Conservative Party lost up to eight seats due to foreign meddling, criticizing the government’s stance towards China, especially in light of human rights concerns and the security crackdown in Hong Kong.
Trudeau, however, disputed the likelihood of a Chinese preference in the election outcome, labeling such assertions as “very improbable,” despite acknowledging attempts by foreign entities to interfere. This testimony aligns with the narrative that, despite efforts by nations like China to meddle, the integrity of Canadian elections remained intact, led and decided by Canadians themselves.
This stance comes amidst ongoing scrutiny over Trudeau’s handling of foreign interference allegations, fueled by leaked intelligence reports and media stories suggesting targeted efforts by China to influence Canadian electoral outcomes. Trudeau’s administration has faced criticism for its response to these allegations, prompting the establishment of the public inquiry to thoroughly examine and address these concerns.
(With inputs from agencies)
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