PM's national security adviser says she's seen 'no evidence' of foreign interference in election

Canada's top national security adviser says she's seen no evidence that any candidates in the 2019 federal election were influenced by financing from the Chinese government.

Jody Thomas, who advises Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on intelligence and foreign threats, testified before the House of Commons defence committee Thursday.

She was there to answer questions from the committee about Arctic security.

But the opposition Conservatives questioned her instead about a Global News report which last month cited unnamed sources claiming Trudeau was warned last January that China was trying to interfere in Canadian politics and allegedly funded at least 11 candidates in the federal election three years ago.

"The news stories that you have read about interference are just that — news stories," Thomas said. "I'll just say it — we've not seen money going to 11 candidates, period."

It has been alleged that the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) and the RCMP are investigating a prominent Toronto businessman in the Chinese community over large, covert transfers of cash to candidates to advance the interests of Beijing during the 2019 campaign, and that Trudeau was given a series of briefings by CSIS beginning in January of this year.

According to the Global News report, the briefings did not conclude that Beijing funded any campaigns directly.

Thomas, who took over the national security post in January, said the prime minister is briefed regularly on the general topic of attempted foreign interference in Canada.

She cast doubt on suggestions the country's spy agency delivered a specific series of warnings about attempts to influence the vote in this country.

"There is a news report on election interference. There is not necessarily a CSIS report that equates to that news report," Thomas said. "The prime minister has been thoroughly briefed."

She said she remains concerned about the possibility of foreign political interference and denied she was refuting the published report.

"I'm not suggesting that. I'm saying I do not know," Thomas said.

"There is a blurring of what's been reported to the prime minister and what's been reported in the press, and so I'm trying to differentiate them … I have asked the question [about] 11 candidates and the connection to the money that was in that report.

"I know nothing of that. I have seen no evidence of it."