Opposition MPs vote for public inquiry into foreign election interference
CTV
Opposition MPs passed a motion Thursday calling for the federal government to launch a national public inquiry into allegations of foreign interference, after hearing hours testimony from top intelligence officials who sought to assure that the integrity of Canada's last two elections was upheld despite meddling attempts by China.
Opposition MPs passed a motion Thursday calling for the federal government to launch a national public inquiry into allegations of foreign interference, after hearing hours testimony from top intelligence officials who sought to assure that the integrity of Canada's last two elections was upheld despite meddling attempts by China.
After debate spanning two meetings of the Procedure and House Affairs Committee (PROC), by a vote of 6-5 with Liberal MPs voting against, opposition parties voted in favour of calling on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to enact an inquiry that would include but not be limited to allegations of election meddling.
The committee still needs to report this decision to the House, but it is non-binding, meaning it's still in the government's purview whether to take the committee's advice.
The opposition MPs want this inquiry to have the power to compel relevant national security documents and call key government and political party figures to testify. This could include ministers, top staffers and national campaign directors for political parties during the 2021 and 2019 election campaigns.
The Conservatives amended the motion to include language asking that the inquiry investigate the abuse of diaspora groups by hostile foreign governments. The Official Opposition also advanced wording that seeks to ensure that individual heading this inquiry be unanimously selected by all recognized parties in the House of Commons, and that the inquiry does not impede PROC's work from continuing.
PROC has a mandate to review and report on the election of members to the House of Commons. The MPs on this committee have been studying the issue of foreign election interference through public meetings since November, in light of recent media reporting alleging various "sophisticated" attempts by China to meddle, including claims that specific MPs or candidates were targeted, in an effort to re-elect Liberals.
But, in advancing the public inquiry proposal, the NDP took the position that, as more reports emerge, the parliamentary committee is not the most appropriate venue to continue this investigation.
