Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre (Carleton, ON.) repeatedly questioned whether the prime minister was told about Chinese interference into the 2019 and 2021 elections..Bloc Quebecois leader Bloc Quebecois leader Yves-François Blanchet (Beloeil—Chambly, QC.) also said the Liberals should reveal which of the 11 ridings China interfered with.."Did our security services and officials and police officers ever inform the prime minister of Beijing's interference in Canada's elections, yes or no?" Poilievre asked Tuesday during Question Period.. Trudeau questioned over China interferenceTrudeau questioned over China interference .Prime Minister Justin Trudeau replied, "As I've said many times Mr. Speaker, our security and intelligence services and police take the importance of fighting against foreign interference, and Chinese interference, very seriously.".The exchange in the House of Commons came following a November 7 Global News report that said Canadian intelligence officials warned the prime minister China targeted Canada's past two elections. China utilized a vast campaign of foreign interference against Canada, including by funding at least 11 federal candidates running in the 2019 election, the article stated..Trudeau attempted to provide assurances that during the 2019 and 2021 elections, "... there was no foreign interference in a way that would have changed any of the results in any significant way.".Poilievre replied Trudeau had used "many words" to obscure the real meaning of his answer. "He says there was not interference in a significant way that would have changed the outcome. But was there any interference of any kind?" Poilievre asked..The prime minister admitted intelligence services highlighted interference in Canada's affairs by foreign powers is an "ongoing thing."."Whether it's cyber interference, whether it's interference with communities here in Canada, whether it's attempts to influence the media, these are things that go on on an ongoing basis and things that our intelligence agencies and police agencies work very, very hard to counter," Trudeau said. "But Canadians can be reassured that the integrity of our elections was not compromised.".After Poilievre once again accused Trudeau of not answering the question, the prime minister said a non-partisan, independent group of top civil servants and intelligence officials was established in 2019 to ensure Canada's elections would not be compromised.."They watched and reported in the 2019 election, they watched and recorded for the 2021 election, and in both cases, confirmed the integrity of our elections was not compromised," Trudeau said..The prime minister also said he's "never gotten any information" from any security agencies, police officers or public servants to suggest that federal candidates received funding from China..Poilievre clarified the question wasn't whether he had heard allegations of Chinese money going to a candidate.."Obviously, money doesn't travel on a big ship from the other side of the Pacific and then go to the shore and then be delivered to a candidate," Poilievre said..Trudeau responded the expert panel confirmed the elections were held in "full integrity" and the outcomes were not impacted by China..The Bloc Quebecois leader chimed in to say that if 11 candidates in the 2019 election benefitted from foreign funding, the prime minister should reveal those ridings. Trudeau replied no intelligence services ever shared with him information about which candidates received money "directly or indirectly" from China.."The prime minister says what he doesn't know, so he should tell us what he does know," Blanchet replied. "It's hardly reassuring if he doesn't know anything about these allegations.".Blanchet also questioned if the prime minister should seek allies when standing up to China, instead of "just doing it solo and for grandstanding purposes." Trudeau replied Canada does work with its allies, and has been doing so for years to counter foreign influence "including Chinese influence" in the country's cybersecurity system and media.."So we're working very closely with our allies in the US and in England and elsewhere, to counter that influence, and we will keep working with our allies to promote our values and principles that we all hold so dearly," Trudeau said..During the exchange, none of the three party leaders mentioned the current protests in China against the government's Zero COVID-19 policies.
