MPs call for 'transparency' from intelligence officials on election interference claims

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. The 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."

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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.