Achi news desk-
Canada’s spy agency believes the Chinese government “brutally and fraudulently” interfered in the 2019 and 2021 federal elections – and a secret briefing note discussed at the Foreign Interference Commission shows that the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) tell the Prime Minister’s Office about it in February 2023.
The document, described by one lawyer who appeared before the commission’s public inquiry as “extraordinary,” was presented on Monday.
It is a briefing paper for the Prime Minister’s Office drafted following the publication of stories by The Globe and Mail and Global News that contained intelligence leaks about foreign interference by the People’s Republic of China (PRC).
“We know that the PRC has covertly and fraudulently interfered in the 2019 and 2021 general elections. In both cases, [foreign interference … was] pragmatic in nature and focused primarily on supporting those deemed to be either ‘pro-PRC’ or ‘neutral’ on matters of interest to the PRC government,” the document says until the sub-heading ” Issues in Media Reporting.”
The document claims that at least 11 candidates and 13 staff members have been linked to foreign interference by the Chinese government, and that several political parties are involved.
Another CSIS document, presented earlier in the investigation, refers to seven Liberal and four Conservative Party of Canada candidates.
“We also observed online and media activity aimed at discouraging Canadians, particularly of Chinese heritage, from supporting the Conservative Party, leader Erin O’Toole, and particularly Steveston-Richmond East Candidate Kenny Chiu ,” said the briefing note.
“In 2021, FI’s PRC activities were almost certainly motivated by a perception that the Conservative Party of Canada was promoting a platform that was perceived as anti-PRC.”
He goes on to say that “the timing of these efforts to align with Conservative voting improvements; the similarity in language with articles published by PRC state media; and the partnership agreements between these Canadian-based outlets and PRC entities all suggest that these efforts were organized or directed by the PRC.
The briefing note goes on to say that the task force assigned to monitor foreign interference determined that these activities did not affect the overall outcome of the election.
Giving evidence before the public inquiry into foreign interference, former Conservative leader Erin O’Toole claimed that Chinese interference had cost the Tories up to nine seats in the 2021 election and her job as party leader.
The public inquiry into foreign interference has already heard from O’Toole and Chiu, who testified that their concerns about foreign interference were dismissed when they raised them with Canadian officials.
Additional evidence and documents presented at the inquiry show that the body assigned to monitor interference in elections detected possible foreign interference targeted at O’Toole and Chiu, but did not inform them of it at the time, until age when the Conservative Party raised possible cases of foreign interference.
Last week, O’Toole told the commission he believed his party had lost up to nine seats due to Chinese interference.
The briefing note said CSIS provided 34 briefings to cabinet ministers and other senior officials on foreign interference, including acts of interference in the 2019 and 2021 elections.
“Until (foreign interference) is seen as an existential threat to Canadian democracy and governments respond forcefully and actively, these threats will continue,” said the briefing note to PMO.
Reference to a $250,000 transfer from Chinese officials
While sections of the briefing note are being redacted, it refers to a possible $250,000 transfer of funds from the PRC – first to a staff member for a 2019 federal election candidate and then to an Ontario MPP.
A separate CSIS document released last week shows that the spy agency believes that “a group of known and suspected PRC “threat actors” have worked in loose cooperation with each other to “covertly promote PRC interests through democratic institutions Canada.”
It cites some Canadian intelligence assessments that suggest some threat actors have received financial support from the PRC, including “at least two cash transfers of approximately $250,000 from PRC officials in Canada, possibly for purposes related to ME.”
The document claims the money was transferred through multiple individuals to hide its origin.
Ad blocking test (Why?)
Source link
Related
