Commissioner Marie-Josée Hogue opened preliminary hearings of the foreign-interference inquiry today, vowing to uncover the truth about meddling in the 2019 and 2021 elections and recommend ways to limit countries such as China, Russia and India from trying to influence Canadian democracy.
Allegations of sophisticated Chinese foreign-influence operations in the past two election campaigns were raised last year by The Globe and Mail, based on secret and top secret intelligence documents compiled by agents of the Canadian Security Intelligence Service.
The CSIS documents and revelations that several MPs had also been targeted in disinformation campaigns by China need to be examined in detail, said Hogue, a judge of the Quebec Court of Appeal.
“Given the importance of protecting our democracy, these allegations have sparked significant debate and discussion, both at the political level and in the media,” she said. “My team and I will make every effort to get to the bottom of things and understand what the country has faced – and what it may still be facing in terms of foreign interference.”
Full story here by Ottawa Bureau Chief Robert Fife and Senior Parliamentary Reporter Steven Chase.
Also, here’s a look at the revelations and events that led to the foreign-interference inquiry.
