TORONTO – According to the parliamentary committee on national security, an unknown number of federal politicians are knowingly working with hostile countries to interfere in Canadian democracy: the revelation came from the latest report from the National Security and Intelligence Committee’s (NSICOP) on foreign interference in Canadian democratic institutions by countries such as China, India and Iran.
The commission examined top-secret intelligence reports that suggest sitting lawmakers are “witting or semi-witting” participants in foreign interference operations, including leaking secrets to foreign governments. “Some (of the activities) may be illegal, but are unlikely to lead to criminal charges, owing to Canada’s failure to address the long-standing issue of protecting classified information and methods in judicial processes” the report reads, according to Global News. “Regardless, all the behaviours are deeply unethical and – the committee would submit – contrary to the oaths and affirmations Parliamentarians take to conduct themselves in the best interests of Canada”.
The commission highlighted several activities with an unspecified number of parliamentarians engaged, including soliciting political support from foreign missions, accepting money or favors from diplomats, and disclosing their colleagues’ positions on issues in a manner that foreign operators can put pressure on them. In one case, a lawmaker allegedly provided classified government information to “a known intelligence official of a foreign state”.
Meanwhile, the Liberals refuse to say which federal politicians have “knowingly” collaborated with foreign interference schemes: Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland has faced repeated questions about the National Security and Intelligence Committee’s (NSICOP) findings, but she did not reveal their names.
Regardless of who these parliamentarians are, the fact remains that China, India and Iran, according to what has been ascertained, practically have their own representatives within the Canadian House of Commons.
