The foreign interference inquiry has concluded. Here’s what we learned

What we learned over the past 10 days of hearings, which ended Friday and included testimony from politicians, bureaucrats and representatives from several security agencies.

If one thing from the public inquiry into foreign interference is clear, it’s that China attempted to meddle in the 2019 and 2021 elections.

But the evidence is hazy on whether or not it succeeded. Here’s what we learned over the past 10 days of fact-finding hearings, which ended Friday and included testimony from politicians, bureaucrats and representatives from several intelligence and security agencies:

Canada’s spy agency has pointed to China as “the most significant” source of foreign interference, with “sophisticated, pervasive and persistent” attempts at meddling.

The inquiry heard that Russian disinformation and Iran-linked intimidation campaigns pose a threat to democracy, but officials haven’t identified a strong connection to meddling efforts in Canada’s elections.

A panel of top bureaucrats — called the “panel of five” — was tasked with monitoring foreign interference and, if necessary, warning Canadians if they identified a threat to the integrity of the vote.

In 2019, the panel reported that interference was “directed largely from China, and to a lesser extent from India and Pakistan.”

Prior to the inquiry, Canada had not publicly identified Pakistan as a source of foreign interference.

Documents tabled at the inquiry show the Canadian Security Intelligence Service believed Pakistani officials “likely tried to clandestinely influence and support Canadian politicians of Pakistani descent” in that election, prompting an undefined “threat reduction measure” from Ottawa.