MPs call for 'transparency' from intelligence officials on election interference claims
'Where is the transparency? Where is the sunlight?' asked Conservative Michael Cooper during committee
Opposition MPs pressed Canadian intelligence officials — often unsuccessfully — to share more information during a Thursday meeting of a Commons committee studying foreign election interference.
The House of Commons standing committee on procedure and House affairs has been delving into a story by Global News that reported the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) briefed Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Chinese efforts to interfere in the 2019 election. According to sources cited in the story, interference reportedly included Chinese government funding of at least 11 candidates.
On Thursday, witnesses from CSIS, the Communications Security Establishment (CSE) — Canada's foreign signals intelligence agency — and the RCMP told MPs on the committee they could only provide them with a non-classified briefing and could not comment on operational specifics.
"Where is the transparency? Where is the sunlight?" asked Conservative MP Michael Cooper.
Cherie Henderson, an assistant director with CSIS, said all Canadian politicians are potentially susceptible to foreign interference activities.
"We definitely have seen specific cases of hostile activities of states against politicians, and in those specific cases we definitely brief our government on that," she said.
At one point, Conservative MP Blaine Calkins held up documents tabled with the committee that were covered in blocks of blacked-out redactions.
"It's really difficult to figure out what we should be doing if we actually don't know what's going on," he said.
"I'm very frustrated right now, with the lack of information, the lack of transparency and the responsibility of trying to figure out how to solve this problem."
WATCH | 'I don't know what to communicate with my constituents,' MP says
Calkins pointed to briefings released by other countries' intelligence agencies on specific security threats. Australia's security intelligence agency, for example, warned of increased foreign interference through social media platforms, including dating apps such as Tinder, Bumble and Hinge.
"I believe you're very, very, very good at monitoring," Calkins said. "I'm not so sure, because I haven't seen any results that tell me that we're good at interdicting or stopping."
Officials with CSIS said they could not speak about allegations about certain ridings or candidates. They acknowledged they could do more to communicate.
"I think the effort is there," said Adam Fisher, CSIS director general of intelligence assessments.
"I'll take the point, you can always do better and I think certainly within the service we're looking for opportunities to be communicating with Canadians and politicians."
Bloc Québécois MP Marie-Hélène Gaudreau suggested maintaining secrecy around national security issues isn't serving Canadians.
"I think about where we were five to 10 years ago and I couldn't think of being in front of a committee like this, speaking openly about Chinese foreign influence, Russian foreign influence, Iranian foreign influence. It just wouldn't have happened," Fisher replied.
Investigations of foreign interference underway: RCMP
Liberal MP Ryan Turnbull pushed back on some questions, arguing there are risks involved in revealing intelligence.
"This to me is a very dangerous game, because isn't it doing the bidding of some of these foreign actors?" he asked. "Wouldn't China just love it for us to have that information out there in public?"
RCMP Commissioner Brenda Lucki has said the Mounties had no evidence of foreign interference during the 2019 federal election and were not investigating any criminal activities related to that election.
Lisa Ducharme, acting director of the RCMP's federal policing national Intelligence, said Thursday she was unable to say whether there are active criminal investigations related to the 2021 federal election.
"There are active investigations into foreign actor interference activities. At any given time, multiple investigations," she said.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in November he has never been briefed that any candidates in the 2019 federal election may have been influenced by financing from the Chinese government.
He later stressed that he gets "briefed up regularly from our intelligence and security officials" and none have ever provided any information to him about candidates receiving money.
Intelligence officials can give higher-level briefings to MPs and senators on the National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians. They receive a higher security clearance that permits them to hear and read sensitive information.
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