Did China Interfere in the 2019, 2021 Canadian Elections? Canadian parliamentary committee passes resolution to investigate
Toronto: Following a series of media reports about Beijing’s alleged attempt to influence the 2019 and 2021 elections in favor of the ruling Liberal Party, a Canadian parliamentary committee has launched a public inquiry into allegations of foreign interference in national elections. motion is passed.
On Thursday, opposition MPs on the House of Commons Procedure and House Affairs Standing Committee voted in favor, while Liberal members opposed it.
Whether or not such an investigation will take place will be up to the government, and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has said China attempted to interfere in Canada’s elections, but its efforts did not change the outcome.
On Tuesday, the Canadian government released a report authored by retired bureaucrat Morris Rosenberg, which took a similar line, as it said, “National security agencies looked into foreign interference efforts, but limited the extent to which they could affect electoral integrity.” Not enough to make ends meet.”
However, that report has been dismissed by the opposition as Rosenberg was the CEO of the Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation between 2014 and 2018 and during that period he received a large donation from a Chinese businessman. outlet, The Globe and Mail, reported that Canada’s spy agency, the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS), had recorded a conversation between an unnamed Chinese diplomat and billionaire Zhang Bin, in which the official instructed Zhang Bin to donate a substantial amount Had given. The Liberals as a foundation placed favorably in the 2015 elections. Trudeau became prime minister in 2015 when his party came to power with a majority. The foundation announced Wednesday that it is returning the amount it has received so far, CA$140,000 ($103,134). In a statement, its president and CEO, Pascal Fournier, said, “We cannot hold a charity that is sponsored by a foreign government and would not knowingly do so.”
“In light of these recent allegations, the Foundation has returned to Donor all amounts received in connection with the donation pledge,” it said. The foundation was established to continue the legacy of the late Canadian Prime Minister, father of the current incumbent.
Several revelations have increased the pressure on the Trudeau government. On February 17, The Globe and Mail noted, “China used a sophisticated strategy to disrupt Canadian democracy in the 2021 federal election campaign as Chinese diplomats and their representatives campaigned for the re-election of Justin Trudeau’s Liberals.” supported – but only for another minority government – and worked to defeat conservative politicians deemed unfriendly to Beijing. That report was based on CSIS documents.
Earlier this week, outlet Global News cited a December 20, 2021 report by CSIS that said “the Liberal Party of Canada is becoming the only party the People’s Republic of China can support”.
