Achi news desk-
The ongoing inquiry into foreign interference is expected to hear Thursday from the top companies of Canada’s intelligence agencies and foreign service.
The deputy head of the Communications Security Institute, which handles intelligence, Dan Rogers will appear.
He is followed by the director of the Canadian Security Intelligence Service, David Vigneault, and three of his colleagues.
RCMP Commissioner Mike Duheme is expected to take the stand this afternoon, and the day is expected to end with the head of Global Affairs Canada, deputy minister David Morrison.
The ongoing hearings are part of the work of the inquiry examining possible foreign interference by China, India, Russia and others in the last two general elections.
The officials are likely to face questions about the flow of information within the government, with officials from the three largest federal parties saying they were not briefed sufficiently about an attempt by foreign states to intervene.
Individual candidates have testified to the investigation that they were angry to hear after the two election campaigns that officials had been monitoring activity suspected of being linked to foreign states.
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Intelligence chiefs insist the 2019 and 2021 elections were free and fair, but the Conservatives say more attention should have been paid to activity detected within a particular riding.
On Friday, senior officials who formed a joint panel meant to identify threats of foreign interference in the 2019 and 2021 elections are set to testify.
The investigative commission led by Quebec judge Marie-Josée Hogue expects to hear testimony from more than 40 people, including members of the community, representatives of political parties and federal election officials.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, members of his cabinet and various senior government officials are expected to appear at the hearings, which will end on April 10.
An initial report of the commission’s findings is expected on 3 May.
The inquiry will then move to wider policy issues, looking at the government’s ability to detect, prevent and counter foreign interference. A final report is expected by the end of the year.
& copy 2024 The Canadian Press
