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Incidents involving national security leaks in Canada are seldom encountered, especially during tumultuous electoral periods. Therefore, the recent allegations published by the Globe and Mail, indicating that the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) has assessed that the Indian government interfered in the 2022 Conservative leadership race, have generated considerable attention at the onset of the current election cycle.
The Globe’s report, which referenced a single unnamed source with top-secret clearance, claimed that individuals associated with the Indian government and their affiliates played a role in the leadership contest that culminated in the election of Pierre Poilievre. Specifically, it was alleged that these “agents” were involved in fundraising and organizing efforts within Canada’s South Asian community to benefit Poilievre. However, the activities were described as lacking a high degree of organization and fitting within a larger strategy aimed at fostering relations with politicians across the political spectrum.
Critically, the report did not imply that Poilievre or his campaign team had knowledge of these purported activities.
In response to these allegations, Ward Elcock, a former CSIS director, stated that such claims would likely not worsen the already strained relations between Canada and India. He remarked, “I think that relationship is likely to remain in deep trouble if the Liberals get back into power… it’s going to be pretty hard for a Liberal government to do anything to move towards rapprochement with the Indians.”
Speaking to reporters in Vaughan, Ontario, Poilievre referred directly to findings from the Hogue commission on foreign interference in Canada’s democratic systems. He noted, “The commission heard testimony about allegations of the Government of India interference in the Conservative Party leadership race… CSIS witnesses noted that they had no reason to believe the impacted candidates would have been aware of the alleged support.” He further asserted, “Let’s be honest, I won the leadership fair and square.”
However, Poilievre did not mention subsequent findings from the Hogue commission, which indicated that while concerning, not all of India’s activities were clandestine. According to Hogue, India ranks as the second most engaged country, after China, in foreign interference endeavors within Canada.
Poilievre’s decisive win in the 2022 Conservative leadership race contrasts sharply with the narrow margins seen in previous contests, leading analysts to speculate that any external interference was unlikely to have swayed the overall outcome. Nonetheless, the presence of foreign interference may stem from an intention to provide financial backing to suitable candidates or to gain influence over those elected, which could affect future political dynamics.
The issue of foreign intervention in Canadian elections is not new, but it gained notable visibility in 2023 following reports detailing alleged Chinese governmental interference. This prompted then-Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to face political pressure, resulting in a public inquiry led by Justice Marie-Josée Hogue. The inquiry found evidence of interference in both the 2019 and 2021 federal elections, although it concluded that these actions did not ultimately determine governmental outcomes.
Vanessa Lloyd, deputy director of operations at CSIS, indicated that countries such as China, India, Russia, and Pakistan are likely trying to influence public sentiment in the current electoral landscape. Lloyd observed, “Generally speaking, we found that potential threat activities related to this year’s election are likely to differ from those observed in past elections,” noting that despite heightened awareness, many threat actors are adapting their methods to remain undetected.
The Globe and Mail’s report highlighted that CSIS had not informed Poilievre of the alleged Indian interference due to his refusal to undergo security screenings necessary for access to sensitive intelligence. Poilievre defended this position, asserting that obtaining such briefings would limit his capacity to investigate questions regarding foreign meddling and hold the government accountable. Elcock challenged this rationale, describing it as “silly,” and suggested that the leaked information likely did not emanate from Canada’s intelligence community, which typically refrains from influencing the political process.
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globalnews.ca