Trudeau tapping special rapporteur and two national security bodies to investigate foreign interference
CTV
Facing pressure over rising concerns around foreign interference in Canada Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will be naming a new special rapporteur to investigate. Trudeau made the announcement on Monday as part of a suite of new measures aimed at addressing Canadians' concerns over alleged election meddling by China during the last two federal campaigns.
Facing pressure over rising concerns around foreign interference in Canada Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will be naming a new special rapporteur to investigate.
Trudeau made the announcement on Monday as part of a suite of new measures aimed at addressing Canadians' concerns over alleged election meddling by China during the last two federal campaigns.
One of the yet-to-be-selected independent official's first orders of business will be to recommend to the federal government whether a formal inquiry or other form of probe or judicial review is the best next step.
The prime minister is also referring the issue of foreign election interference back to a top-secret committee known as the National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians (NSICOP).
And, he's asking the external expert body known as the National Security and Intelligence Review Agency (NSIRA) to examine the work done by Canadian intelligence bodies as it pertains to foreign interference.
"In the past few weeks, people have expressed many different views about the steps we should be taking to answer questions about foreign interference. To me, it comes down to two things: that our democratic institutions are safe from foreign interference, and that Canadians have confidence that it is so," Trudeau said Monday.
Noting the mixed views among Canadians and experts around a public inquiry, Trudeau said the Liberals will "abide by" the guidance of the "eminent Canadian" chosen, on whether one is needed and if so, what its mandate and scope should be.
