'Political attacks' won't help Canada counter foreign interference, PM says to question of testifying
CTV
Asked Wednesday whether he'd be willing to testify before a parliamentary committee seized with assessing the Liberals' handling of foreign interference, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau dodged the question, saying that 'political attacks' won't help Canada counter the 'very serious issue' of China's election meddling.
Asked Wednesday whether he'd be willing to testify before a parliamentary committee seized with assessing the Liberals' handling of foreign interference, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau dodged the question, saying that "political attacks" won't help Canada counter the "very serious issue" of China's election meddling.
The Procedure and House Affairs Committee (PROC) that's been studying foreign interference for months—stemming from reporting alleging specific attempts by Beijing to alter the outcomes of the 2019 and 2021 federal elections—is at a standstill over an opposition-backed attempt to call Trudeau's chief of staff Katie Telford to testify.
On Tuesday, Liberal MPs spent nearly 12 hours filibustering at the committee, speaking at length on a range of tangentially-relevant topics to talk out the clock. During numerous monologues, Trudeau's MPs voiced their opposition to the push to see senior staff from major parties appear to shed light on what they were briefed on, or flagged to federal officials, regarding efforts by China to interfere in the last two campaigns.
Having staff face questions at a parliamentary committee goes against the tradition of ministerial accountability, Liberals noted, while pointing to ardent efforts by the previous Conservative government—including then-minister of democratic reform Pierre Poilievre—to fight attempts to have staff testify.
The longest-yet stretch of procedural obstruction undertaken by Trudeau's caucus wrapped up around 10 p.m. with the Liberal committee chair hoping the two sides would find a way to come to a vote so they can move on.
The next morning, a reporter asked the prime minister with the Liberals blocking the committee from calling Telford to testify, whether he'd be willing to appear.
Trudeau didn't directly answer. Instead he spoke around the issue by pointing to the various measures he's recently committed to undertaking to see the issue explored further while reassuring Canadians that "there was no impact from Chinese interference on to the outcome of our elections."
Saskatchewan’s first jackpot winner of the year was revealed in Regina on Thursday.
The Saskatoon Police Service (SPS) is going overseas to research transit safety.
B.C. Premier David Eby says a wave of extortion crime in the province is a “terror attack in slow motion.”
A music teacher has been arrested in connection with a sexual assault investigation involving his school-aged student.
West Edmonton Mall was locked down on Thursday afternoon as a result of a weapons complaint.
An Alberta First Nation is advising its band members to take precautions when crossing into the United States, even though centuries-old treaty rights should protect them.
Two murderers including gangland hitman Dean Wiwchar have been charged with attempting to escape from a British Columbia pretrial centre last month.
An investigation by Ontario’s Special Investigations Unit details what happened after a mentally unstable man bought a rifle in Sudbury, then exchanged fire with police in Latchford before he was shot and taken into custody.
New charges have been laid in the investigation on Chesham Avenue after chemicals capable of making explosives were discovered at a home earlier in the week.
The stepfather of Lily and Jack Sullivan, who have been missing from their Lansdowne Station, N.S., home since last May, has been charged with assault, forcible confinement and sexual assault.
A tribunal has revoked the licence of a Toronto doctor found guilty of misdiagnosing patients, violating consent and carrying out unnecessary and non-evidence-based procedures leading to harm.
For the third time in just under a year, Pierre Poilievre’s political fate will be in the hands of voters this Friday — though this time, it’s a small group of partisan supporters who appear likely to give him another shot.
Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree says he doesn’t foresee logistical challenges in gathering up banned firearms through a federal buyback program, despite the refusal of several provinces and police forces to help.