Liberal MPs want more information on foreign interference

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OTTAWA — Parliament Hill remained in the dark Wednesday about which MPs are “wittingly” helping foreign powers after a shocking intelligence report alleged some MPs receive help from countries like China and India.

The National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians (NSICOP) released the report Monday, which discussed previous issues around foreign interference in the 2021 and 2019 election, but also ongoing issues.

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The report highlighted China and India as countries that attempt to exert influence including by cultivating relationships with Parliamentarians. It found that some elected officials benefited unknowingly from foreign assistance, but began “assisting foreign state actors” after they were elected. It did not identify MPs by name, but said they aimed to influence colleagues and provided confidential information to Indian officials.

“CSIS and CSE produced a body of intelligence that showed that foreign actors used deceptive or clandestine methods to cultivate relationships with Canadians who they believed would be useful in advancing their interests — particularly members of Parliament and senators — with a view to having the Canadian act in favour of the foreign actor and against Canada’s interests,” read the report.

The also noted a former MP who maintained a relationship with a foreign intelligence officer.

“The Committee notes a particularly concerning case of a then-member of Parliament maintaining a relationship with a foreign intelligence officer,” the report reads. “According to CSIS, the member of Parliament sought to arrange a meeting in a foreign state with a senior intelligence official and also proactively provided the intelligence officer with information provided in confidence.”

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Liberal MP Nate Erskine-Smith said the public needs more information about that case in particular.

“That person should be named, named in the shorter term and fuller allegations should be laid out and we should have proper due process,” he said outside Liberal caucus on Wednesday.

Erskine-Smith said in some of the other cases NSICOP flagged there needs to be a more serious look into the allegations.

“We should have a serious conversation, it should be less of a witch hunt and should be more serious due process where there’s proper accountability.”

Erskine-Smith said he does believe the committee was right to call for changes to how party nominations are run. He said parties should set their own rules, but there needs to be independent oversight.

“I’ve lived through nominations, and I do think they’re the least protected areas of our democracy. Elections Canada should be part of enforcing those rules and operating those nomination contests.”

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Liberal MP Chris Bittle said the report reflects badly on all MPs.

“I think Canadians are concerned whenever you see a report like that. It’s obviously worrisome, that’s putting it mildly,” he said. “It reflects poorly on the rest of us, if it’s one or two, either in the Senate or the House of Commons, and those names aren’t out there.”

Liberal MP David McGuinty, who chairs the all-party NSICOP committee that has both MPs and Senators on it, said his committee has said all it can without violating security clearances.

“We cannot add any more. Every word, every sentence, every paragraph has been through a very significant and detailed redaction process,” he said.

NSICOP committee members are entitled to see all classified intelligence information, but they are not permitted to share the information publicly and their reports go through a redaction process removing any specifics.

Before heading into caucus Wednesday, McGuinty said he was confident in what he was seeing.

“I’m comfortable working with my colleagues, but I’m also bound by the security of information and intelligence act.”

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Liberal House leader Steven MacKinnon said his government created NSICOP and has also called the public inquiry into foreign interference and brought in new legislation to create a foreign influence registry

“I think Canadians can be very confident there’s a very robust system of checks and balances and measures designed to catch and combat foreign interference in Canada,” he said.

Other Liberal MPs who spoke to reporters wouldn’t speculate about who those parliamentarians could be, arguing the appropriate authorities should be able to conduct their work. “Let the security agencies find out,” said MP Sukh Dhaliwal.

Toronto Liberal MP Julie Dabrusin said that while she thinks “all Canadians” would like to have more details on the MPs who have allegedly collaborated with foreign states, she said that she would “leave it to people who know better how to divulge that information.”

“Obviously, all MPs… swore an oath, so I expect that everybody swore an oath to Canada,” said Liberal MP Francis Drouin.

Minister of Innovation Francois-Philippe Champagne said that the NSICOP report is a good reminder that foreign states are actively trying to undermine democratic states like Canada, without addressing the idea that some MPs willingly complied with them.

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“The message it is sending is to stay vigilant because there are states who are trying to undermine Liberal democracies,” he said.

Other MPs downplayed the importance of knowing who the MPs are who have been identified in the report, saying that it is not something their constituents are talking to them about. John McKay said he simply does not want to know who the MPs are.

“David’s got a good report, it’s been useful to us… I think he’s done the right thing in alerting this to us, but at this point, no names,” said McKay.

Elisabeth Briere said the issue of MPs meddling with foreign powers is “not a part” of her reality. When asked if she does not want to know who the MPs are, she replied: “That’s not what I’m saying. What I’m saying is that in Sherbrooke, it’s not an issue for me.”

Conservative MPs heading into caucus did not stop to answer reporters’ questions about the NSICOP report nor did they raise the issue in question period on Tuesday.

National Post
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