Canada to probe alleged Chinese election interference

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Monday announced the appointment of an independent special investigator who will investigate the alleged Chinese interference in Canadian elections.

Trudeau's announcement came after Canadian media, citing unidentified intelligence sources, reported on Beijing's alleged attempts to meddle in the 2019 and 2021 federal elections.

China has denied all allegations calling it "defamatory" and said that it has no interest in becoming involved with Canada's internal affairs.

The opposition Conservatives have called for an independent public inquiry into the matter, however, turning down the demand Trudeau said, "We will ask the independent special rapporteur, as one of the first tasks of their mandate, to provide the government with a recommendation as to what the appropriate next step be — whether it be an inquiry, an investigation or a judicial review — and what the scope of that work may be."

Trudeau added: "All political leaders agree that the election outcomes in 2019, and in 2021, were not impacted by foreign interference. But even if it didn't change the results of our elections, any interference attempt, by any foreign actor, is troubling and serious."
 

Besides appointing a special investigator, Trudeau has also appointed two committees to probe potential foreign interference.

Canada's National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians (NSICOP) will investigate and report its findings to the parliament.

Trudeau under scanner

Last month, The Globe and Mail reported that China preferred Trudeau's Liberal Party stay in power rather than the Conservative Party, which is considered hostile to Beijing.

Trudeau has been under pressure after reports of China's alleged interference in elections were made public. Recent surveys have indicated that citizens expect him to respond more forcefully to alleged election interference by China.

Opposition leader Pierre Poilievre has criticized the idea of a parliamentary committee being involved. He said that officials will present opposition lawmakers with "some information and then swear them to secrecy so they could never speak about it again."

mf/sms (AP, AFP, Reuters)