Poilievre and Trudeau Engage in One-on-One Verbal Tussle on Foreign Interference

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on March 8 faced a barrage of questions on Beijing interference coming from Conservative Party Leader Pierre Poilievre and other MPs in the House of Commons. Poilievre took every turn from his party during question period, raising a number of allegations stemming from national security leaks reported in the media, and Trudeau also responded to every question. “How much did his party and other parts of his party get from the communist dictatorship?” Poilievre asked. “On matters of national security, it’s extremely important that we continue to give Canadians confidence that our experts and our officials are doing their jobs,” Trudeau answered, adding that is why he created the security-cleared National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians (NSICOP). “The question was how much his party got in illegal donations funnelled from Beijing? I’ve asked the question twice,” Poilievre retorted. Trudeau replied that it’s “despicable” and “quite disgusting” that an MP would question the loyalty of any member of the House of Commons. Media reports published in recent weeks have detailed how the Chinese Communist Party interferes with Canadian democracy. In the latest instalment, Global News reported on March 8 on an unredacted version of an NSICOP report submitted to the prime minister in August 2019, a few weeks before the election. The report says that “foreign states clandestinely direct contributions” to Canadian politicians and provided examples drawn from Canadian Security Intelligence Service information otherwise redacted in the public version. Global’s piece also mentions Trudeau’s advisory body, the Privy Council Office, producing a report in January 2022 on foreign interference. “A large clandestine transfer of funds earmarked for the federal election from the PRC [People’s Republic of China] Consulate in Toronto was transferred to an elected provincial government official via a staff member of a 2019 federal candidate,” reportedly says the memo. Poilievre quoted the report in the House of Commons and asked “why did the prime minister say the opposite of what he knew to be true?” The Conservative Leader was referring to statements made by Trudeau and his National Security Advisor (NSA) that they have not seen money from China going to candidates. “On that specific question, as both myself and the NSA stated last fall, we have no information on any federal candidates receiving money from China, and that continues to remain the case,” Trudeau said. The prime minister has rejected calls for a public inquiry into foreign interference from the opposition parties and has instead announced he will appoint a special rapporteur on the matter. If the rapporteur judges it necessary to have an inquiry, the government will abide by the recommendation, Trudeau said. Opposition parties are also trying to have Trudeau’s Chief of Staff Katie Telford testify in the Procedure and House Affairs committee and a vote could take place on the matter on March 9. Liberal MPs filibustered a motion to that effect on March 7. The Liberals have argued on the principle of ministerial responsibility which prevents political staff from being called to testify. Trudeau remarked during question period that Poilievre has previously defended that principle.