Justin Trudeau blames China for ‘aggressive’ interference in Canada’s democracy
IndependentFeb 06, 2023
Canada's Foreign Interference Probe Nears Final Report
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Above: Justin Trudeau testifies before a foreign interference inquiry in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, on Wednesday, April 10, 2024. Image copyright: David Kawai/Bloomberg/Contributor via Getty Images
The Facts
The Public Inquiry Into Foreign Interference in Federal Electoral Processes and Democratic Institutions, created by Canada's government to investigate alleged foreign interference by China, Russia, and other states in the 2019 and 2021 federal elections, has announced that it will release its final report on Jan. 28.
Led by Quebec Court of Appeal Judge Marie-Josée Hogue, the inquiry, established on Sept. 7, 2023, conducted its investigation in two phases, with the first phase examining specific interference allegations and information flow within the federal government, culminating in an initial report released on May 3, 2024.
The inquiry's initial report characterized foreign interference as a "stain" on Canada's electoral system and noted that while some individual ridings may have been affected, the overall election outcomes were not influenced enough to change which party formed government.
The Spin
Right narrative
Trudeau is at least partially to blame for foreign interference in Canada. For years he has lauded the Chinese state, while seemingly turning a blind eye to the threats the country posed to Canada's rule of law, sovereignty, and national security. His unwillingness to confront these threats and his willful ignorance of intelligence alerts about Chinese operatives tampering with elections and influencing Canadian policymakers represent a huge failure of leadership. Canada's next leader must take serious action.
Left narrative
Trudeau was right to carefully choose how to react to PRC actions because fueling a new Cold War would be a catastrophic geopolitical mistake. It's certain that Beijing seeks to shape reality in its own interests — as every great power does — but allegations of Chinese interference are mainly about suppressing dissent on its own soil, not installing a pro-Chinese government in Canada.
