Trudeau 'has failed to protect our democracy' from China's threats, says Poilievre

Reacting to claims that China interfered in the 2019 federal election, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre said Wednesday that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has failed to protect Canada's democracy and Conservative MPs are pushing for a parliamentary committee investigation.

Poilievre made the remarks in Vancouver while Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly was giving a speech in Toronto about the release of the Liberal government's forthcoming Indo-Pacific strategy.

"It's very troubling that the prime minister has known about allegations about foreign interference in Canadian elections since last January and he hasn't taken any action," Poilievre said.

"No foreign government should have any influence over our elections or our future. That should reside in the hands of Canadians. And so far, that has not been the case with the prime minister. He has failed to protect our democracy."

Poilievre told reporters that Trudeau needs to explain what he knew about Chinese interference in Canadian elections and how he responded to the threat.

The Conservative leader was citing a Global News story that said Canadian intelligence officials alerted Trudeau in January that China had interfered in the 2019 federal election.

Quoting unnamed sources, the Global News story said the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) sent briefing notes to Trudeau and several cabinet ministers alleging China covertly funded 11 candidates in the 2019 federal election.

The briefing notes, which did not identify the candidates, also said that China worked to get its agents employed in the offices of members of Parliament.

Watch: Poilievre says Trudeau 'has failed to protect our democracy'

"We need to have a government that stands up for human rights and for freedoms and defends Canada's interests in an increasingly dangerous world," Poilievre said. 

He said Conservative MPs on the procedure and House affairs committee are confident they have the votes required to make a committee study happen.

Poilievre said he wants the probe to look at "what the prime minister knew, what he is going to do about it and how we're going to protect our democracy from foreign interference."

Speaking Wednesday at an event hosted by the Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy and the Asia-Pacific Foundation, Joly described China as "an increasingly disruptive global power."

Joly was at the event to provide an outline of a forthcoming Indo-Pacific strategy for Canada — a strategy that will also guide Canada's relationship with China. Joly said the fully-funded strategy will be launched within a month but didn't give a date.