Canada’s spy agency is under pressure after Justin Trudeau and his closest advisers say they were never made aware of a report that Beijing “clandestinely and deceptively” interfered in both the 2019 and 2021 federal elections. Canada is in the midst of a contentious public inquiry “examining and assessing” foreign interference by China, Russia, and other foreign states and non-state actors, and this week the prime minister, Justin Trudeau, testified under oath about the steps his government took to respond to the threat of meddling. In his appearance, which lasted…
Tag: Justin Trudeau
China meddled in past two Canada elections, says Justin Trudeau
China tried to meddle in the past two Canadian elections but the results were not affected and it was “improbable” Beijing preferred any one party over another, prime minister Justin Trudeau has told an official inquiry. In sworn testimony before a commission conducting a public inquiry into alleged foreign interference in the 2019 and 2021 Canadian elections, Trudeau answered questions about intelligence briefings he had received and asserted the elections were “free and fair”. “Despite attempts by foreign states to interfere, those elections held in their integrity. They were decided…
Canada tells of China-linked ‘spamouflage’ blitz on MPs’ social media
The Canadian government has said it has detected a China-linked campaign that involved bots posting disinformation and propaganda as comments on the social media feeds of members of parliament, including the prime minister, Justin Trudeau. The “spamouflage” campaign, using networks of new and hijacked social media accounts to post bulk messages, took place in August and September, and targeted dozens of lawmakers from across the political spectrum, Canada’s foreign ministry announced. The messages included accusations against the lawmakers of criminal and ethical violations, a claim that the Hawaii wildfires were…
Trudeau faces fury of Canadian MPs over alleged Chinese election meddling
Justin Trudeau is under mounting pressure to explain how seriously his government has responded to the threat of Chinese interference in Canadian elections in the wake of damning intelligence leaks. Allegations that the prime minister’s government has failed to act on meddling efforts featured prominently in a raucous session of parliament on Wednesday, as concern over Beijing’s efforts to undermine Canadian elections continues to dominate the country’s politics. Earlier this week, Global News reported that, according to an intelligence report, “a large clandestine transfer of funds” was directed from China’s…
Justin Trudeau to appoint special rapporteur to probe foreign interference in elections
Canada’s prime minister, Justin Trudeau, has said he will appoint a special rapporteur to probe allegations of Chinese interference in recent elections amid mounting political pressure to push back against Beijing and to maintain public confidence in democratic institutions. “We believe deeply in the values of freedom, openness, and dialogue. These values are not universally shared by every government around the world,” Trudeau said at a press conference on Monday evening. “Indeed, I don’t know if in our lifetime, we’ve seen democracy in a more precarious place. Many state actors…
Calls grow in Canada for inquiry into alleged election interference by China
Canadian opposition parties stepped up their push for a broad public inquiry into alleged foreign election interference, particularly by China, a move that Liberal prime minister Justin Trudeau has not yet endorsed. Recent media reports have alleged ongoing Chinese interference in Canada’s elections, with Trudeau this week denying one article saying his office was told by Canada’s spy agency to drop a Chinese Canadian candidate in 2019 because of his ties to Beijing. Canada’s main opposition party called for an independent and public inquiry, headed by a commissioner who is…
Canada to review ‘disconcerting’ police radio deal with ties to China, says Trudeau
Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau has vowed to review a contract awarded to a Beijing-linked firm to supply and maintain federal police radio equipment, citing possible security concerns. The half-million dollar contract for a radio frequency filtering system to prevent eavesdropping went to Canada’s Sinclair Technologies, which is controlled by China’s Hytera Communications. The Shenzen-based company is partly owned by the Chinese government and blacklisted by the United States – raising concerns about potential Chinese access to Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) communications. “I find it disconcerting,” Trudeau told a…
Canada won’t compromise values in relations with China, says foreign minister
Canada will work with China when needed – but challenge it when necessary, the country’s foreign minister said, as the two nations prepare to co-host a major environmental summit despite years of diplomatic tensions. Speaking to the Guardian after her government released its long-awaited “Indo-Pacific Strategy”, Mélanie Joly said that Canada will “promote and defend” its national interests in a region where nations are jockeying for influence and power. “We’re a Pacific nation and what happens there matters for Canada. The future of the Indo-Pacific is linked to ours,” she…
Xi angrily rebukes Trudeau over ‘leaks’ to media about Canada-China relations
Xi Jinping has angrily rebuked Justin Trudeau after Canadian officials shared details of a previous meeting, highlighting the frosty relationship between the two leaders. In a clip recorded by the media pool at the G20 summit in Indonesia, a visibly frustrated Xi pulls the Canadian prime minister aside and says it was “not appropriate” for details about a previous conversation between the two leaders to have been shared with media, suggesting Trudeau lacked “sincerity” in his approach. “Everything we discuss has been leaked to the paper, that’s not appropriate,” Xi…