Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Chief of Staff Katie Telford did not say when she first learned of Chinese interference in recent elections due to “security concerns.”. Trudeau and TelfordPrime Minister Justin Trudeau and his Chief-of-Staff, Katie Telford ."These matters are extremely sensitive and the law limits what I can talk about in this public setting," Telford told the House of Commons Procedure and House Affairs committee..Telford testified in front of the committee for two and-a-half hours Friday..There are several investigations into the federal 2019 and 2021 elections with accusations of Chinese interference, in which Beijing denies involvement..The Trudeau Liberals won both elections with minority governments..Telford did say it was “quite possible” in January 2022 Trudeau could have been briefed on the alleged Chinese interference in the 2019 election..“It is quite possible there were discussions in that time period [January 2022] around foreign interference,” said Telford..Telford testified “there's nothing that's ever kept from the prime minister.”.Telford said that she “can’t provide information about what I have or have not been briefed on” due to some information requiring security clearance..There are “limits and caveats” on intelligence gathering and “sometimes the intelligence is wrong,” Telford told the committee..MPs from the Bloc Québécois, NDP, and Conservative parties were visibly frustrated with Telford’s “limited answers.”.“Today, she was asked a series of simple questions that did not require top security clearance. And yet, there was a failure to give proper answers," said Conservative MP Rachel Thomas (Lethbridge, AB)..Liberal MP Ryan Turnball (Whitby, ON) asked Telford if “Canadians are well served” by the opposition parties turning the election interference into a “partisan issue” to “score cheap political points.”.Telford said no, she did not feel Canadians are being “well served.”
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Chief of Staff Katie Telford did not say when she first learned of Chinese interference in recent elections due to “security concerns.”. Trudeau and TelfordPrime Minister Justin Trudeau and his Chief-of-Staff, Katie Telford ."These matters are extremely sensitive and the law limits what I can talk about in this public setting," Telford told the House of Commons Procedure and House Affairs committee..Telford testified in front of the committee for two and-a-half hours Friday..There are several investigations into the federal 2019 and 2021 elections with accusations of Chinese interference, in which Beijing denies involvement..The Trudeau Liberals won both elections with minority governments..Telford did say it was “quite possible” in January 2022 Trudeau could have been briefed on the alleged Chinese interference in the 2019 election..“It is quite possible there were discussions in that time period [January 2022] around foreign interference,” said Telford..Telford testified “there's nothing that's ever kept from the prime minister.”.Telford said that she “can’t provide information about what I have or have not been briefed on” due to some information requiring security clearance..There are “limits and caveats” on intelligence gathering and “sometimes the intelligence is wrong,” Telford told the committee..MPs from the Bloc Québécois, NDP, and Conservative parties were visibly frustrated with Telford’s “limited answers.”.“Today, she was asked a series of simple questions that did not require top security clearance. And yet, there was a failure to give proper answers," said Conservative MP Rachel Thomas (Lethbridge, AB)..Liberal MP Ryan Turnball (Whitby, ON) asked Telford if “Canadians are well served” by the opposition parties turning the election interference into a “partisan issue” to “score cheap political points.”.Telford said no, she did not feel Canadians are being “well served.”
