Canada’s recent accusations of Indian interference in their federal elections have been met with a firm rebuttal from its own officials. In a surprising turn of events, the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) has failed to substantiate claims that India played a role in influencing Canada’s democratic processes.
Last Thursday, CSIS made bold assertions, alleging that both Indian and Pakistani governments had attempted to sway Canada’s federal elections in 2019 and 2021, which ultimately led to Justin Trudeau’s ascension to power.
However, an investigative panel composed of senior Canadian officials, tasked with monitoring the 2021 polls, has debunked these claims. According to their findings, there was no indication of any Indian involvement in influencing the national elections.
“I do not believe during the 2021 election that we saw evidence of the Government of India using those tools in the campaign,” affirmed a member of the poll-monitoring panel.
Furthermore, the Canadian news outlet Globe and Mail’s senior parliamentary reporter, Steven Chase, reinforced this stance, highlighting that the panel overseeing the 2021 elections was not apprised of any potential foreign interference activities originating from India.
Panel of bureaucrats that monitored 2021 election tells foreign interference inquiry they were not informed of any potential FI activity from India during the 2021 campaign.
— Steven Chase (@stevenchase) April 8, 2024
This revelation emerged during the testimony of officials from the Critical Election Incident Public Protocol before the Public Inquiry into Foreign Interference in Federal Electoral Processes and Democratic Institutions, chaired by Justice Marie-Josee Hogue.
Contrary to the allegations against India, the agency pointed fingers at China, citing evidence of Chinese interference in both the 2019 and 2021 Canadian elections.
The firmest confirmation of suspected Chinese meddling in Canadian politics emerged during an official probe on Monday, shedding light on a clandestine interference that had remained largely concealed.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Liberal Party secured victory in both the 2019 and 2021 elections. However, mounting concerns over potential foreign influence prompted Trudeau to establish a commission to investigate allegations of interference. The commission, convened to address worries raised by opposition legislators and media reports, uncovered a slide presentation displaying an excerpt from a February 2023 CSIS briefing.
The slide unequivocally stated, “We know that the PRC (Peoples’ Republic of China) clandestinely and deceptively interfered in both the 2019 and 2021 elections.” The interference tactics were described as pragmatic, focusing primarily on bolstering individuals and groups deemed ‘pro-PRC’ or ‘neutral’ on issues aligned with the Chinese government’s interests.
Critics, including intelligence analysts and members of the Conservative Party, argue that Trudeau’s administration has failed to sufficiently address the issue of Chinese interference. Trudeau himself is slated to provide testimony to the commission on Wednesday, facing scrutiny over his government’s response to foreign meddling.
The Conservative Party, known for its tougher stance on China compared to the Liberals, campaigned in 2021 against Beijing’s human rights abuses, particularly its treatment of the Uyghur minority, and pledged to exclude Chinese telecommunications giant Huawei from Canada’s 5G network.
With approximately 1.7 million people of Chinese descent constituting nearly 5% of Canada’s population, the ramifications of foreign interference resonate deeply within the country’s diverse communities.
