From LifeSiteNews

By Anthony Murdoch

‘Until foreign interference is viewed as an existential threat to Canadian democracy and governments forcefully and actively respond, these threats will persist,’ reads the 2023 memo given to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s office.

Details from a “top secret” memo have shown that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s office was given explicit warnings by Canadian intelligence that agents of the Communist Chinese Party (CCP) meddling in the nation’s elections posed an “existential threat to Canadian democracy.”  

The disclosure that Trudeau’s office was warned of CCP meddling in Canada’s elections process came during testimony last week at the Foreign Interference Commission. 

Counsel for Conservative Party of Canada (CPC) MP Michael Chong observed that a “top secret” memo titled, Briefing To The Prime Minister’s Office On Foreign Interference Threats To Canada’s Democratic Institutions, dated February 21, 2023, was “truly” a “remarkable document” in what it revealed.  

The six-page memo went into full detail as to the extent of CCP subterfuge which targeted Canada’s Conservative Party in both the 2019 and 2021 federal elections. 

“State actors are able to conduct foreign interference successfully in Canada because there are few legal or political consequences,” reads the memo.  

“Until foreign interference is viewed as an existential threat to Canadian democracy and governments forcefully and actively respond, these threats will persist.” 

Trudeau has been coy and has never explicitly stated whether he was ever told by members of Canada’s intelligence agency, the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS), that the CCP agents’ actions were in breach of the nation’s Elections Act.  

The Foreign Interference Commission was convened to “examine and assess the interference by China, Russia, and other foreign states or non-state actors, including any potential impacts, to confirm the integrity of, and any impacts on, the 43rd and 44th general elections (2019 and 2021 elections) at the national and electoral district levels.”  

The Commission is being headed by Justice Marie-Josée Hogue, who had earlier said that she and her lawyers will remain “impartial” and will not be influenced by politics and began on January 29.   

In January, Hogue said that she would “uncover the truth whatever it may be.”   

Thus far, the commission has resulted in some interesting findings which are now public.  

Yesterday, LifeSiteNews reported how Chong testified before the inquiry that agents of the CCP could install a premier or prime minister of their choosing by infiltrating supposedly closed party leadership races. 

Last week, LifeSiteNews reported that this same memo showed that CCP agents did help to elect “pro-China” candidates after disclosing the existence of a large cash payments scheme totaling $250,000 made to so-called “pro-China” public office holders. 

Trudeau in 2023 denied he was warned by security officials  

Trudeau, in May of 2023, said to reporters that he did not know anything about CCP agents targeting conservative MPs.  

“The Canadian Security Intelligence Service knew about certain things but didn’t feel it reached a threshold that required them to pass it up out of CSIS,” he said.

“Was it briefed up out of the Canadian Security Intelligence Service? It was not,” he said, adding that “CSIS made the determination it wasn’t something that needed to be raised to a higher level because it wasn’t a significant enough concern.” 

The memo suggests that during the 2021 federal election, meddling efforts “were orchestrated or directed by the People’s Republic of China.” 

The unlawful conduct included “activities 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,” notes the memo. 

Last week, David Vigneault, who serves as CSIS director, told the inquiry that he supports the “conclusions” that the CCP was working to help elect China-friendly Canadian MPs.  

Thus far, the testimony at the Commission has revealed that former Conservative Party MP Kenny Chiu said he felt “betrayed” by the federal government after only now learning he was the target of agents of the CCP.  

Also, the public has learned via the inquiry from Chief Electoral Officer Stéphane Perrault that he was secretly warned by security agents of irregularities in the 2019 election. 

Recently, it was revealed that Trudeau’s office knew of security warnings against one of his MPs who was helped to get elected by Chinese agents yet kept him in the party regardless.  

When it comes to the CCP, many Canadians, especially pro-freedom Chinese Canadians, are concerned with the nation’s influence in what is supposed to be a democratic process. 

As for Trudeau, he has in the past praised China for its “basic dictatorship” and has labeled the authoritarian nation as his favorite country other than his own.  

From LifeSiteNews

By Anthony Murdoch

Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) director David Vigneault testified to the ongoing Foreign Interference Commission that he supports the ‘conclusions’ that Communist China was working to help elect regime-friendly Canadian MPs.

During testimony last week at the inquiry looking into alleged meddling in Canada’s last two federal elections, the head of the nation’s intelligence agency confirmed that agents of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) did help to elect “pro-China” candidates, also disclosing the existence of a large cash payments scheme totaling $250,000.

David Vigneault, who serves as the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) director, told the inquiry, titled the Foreign Interference Commission, that he supports the “conclusions” that the CCP was working to help elect China-friendly Canadian MPs. 

“I support those conclusions,” he said after pointing out documents that show large cash payments to unnamed public office holders. 

“These words have been crafted very carefully,” he said, adding, “For the Commission record I support those conclusions. I would not want to go further.” 

The Foreign Interference Commission was convened to “examine and assess the interference by China, Russia, and other foreign states or non-state actors, including any potential impacts, to confirm the integrity of, and any impacts on, the 43rd and 44th general elections (2019 and 2021 elections) at the national and electoral district levels.” 

The Commission is being headed by Justice Marie-Josée Hogue, who had earlier said that she and her lawyers will remain “impartial” and will not be influenced by politics and began on January 29.  

In January, Hogue said that she would “uncover the truth whatever it may be.”  

The CSIS director’s comments came as a result of an internal federal memo, the After Action Report 2021 Federal Election, which noted how “The People’s Republic of China sought to clandestinely and deceptively influence Canada’s 2021 federal election.” 

The memo, dated December 17, 2021, reads that the “foreign influence was pragmatic in nature and focused primarily on supporting individuals viewed to be either ‘pro-PRC’ or ‘neutral’ on issues of interest to the People’s Republic of China government and Chinese Communist Party.” 

The document was put together by the Security and Intelligence Threats to Elections Task Force. 

“The Task Force also observed online media activities aimed at discouraging Canadians particularly of Chinese heritage from supporting the Conservative Party of Canada, Party leader Erin O’Toole and particularly former Steveston-Richmond East candidate Kenny Chiu,” reads the Action Report. 

Counsel for Conservative MP Michael Chong asked Vigneault during the Commission hearings if CSIS agreed with the Action Report.  

“I recognize this information,” said Vigneault in reply.  

Thus far, the testimony at the Commission has revealed that former Conservative Party of Canada (CPC) MP Kenny Chiu said he felt “betrayed” by the federal government after only now learning he was the target of agents of the CCP. 

Also, the public has learned via the inquiry from Chief Electoral Officer Stéphane Perrault that he was secretly warned by security agents of irregularities in the 2019 election.

‘Politically-Connected Canadian’ linked to cash payments of $250,000 to influence 2019 election  

Last week, the Commission released a CSIS report titled People’s Republic Of China: Threat Actors, Contact With Candidates And Funding Of Threat Actors, which documents the large cash payments of “$250,000 from People’s Republic of China officials in Canada possibly for foreign influence-related purposes.” 

“Prior to and during the 43rd general election in 2019 a group of known and suspected People’s Republic of China related threat actors in Canada including PRC officials worked in loose coordination with one another to covertly advance PRC interests through Canadian democratic institutions,” wrote the agency in the report. 

The report lists that 11 political candidates as well as 13 political staff members were “assessed to be either implicated in or impacted by this group of threat actors,” and that “some of these threat actors received financial support from the People’s Republic of China.” 

“For example, there likely were at least two transfers of funds approximating $250,000 from People’s Republic of China officials in Canada possibly for foreign influence-related purposes though most likely not in an attempt to covertly fund the 11 candidates,” the report reads.  

“These were transferred via multiple individuals to obfuscate their origins via an influential community leader, to the staff member of a 2019 federal election candidate and then to an Ontario MPP. The transfers reportedly took place in late 2018, early 2019.” 

Vigneault confirmed last Thursday that the reports were accurate, saying about them, “That is a correct statement,” but added the agency is not able to “discuss classified information.” 

As for the unnamed “Politically-Connected Canadian,” Vigneault said that he would “not have any specific comment about political matters as you can imagine.” 

The Commission also included an In Camera Examination Summary in which CSIS discussed “possible People’s Republic of China interference” which took place at the 2019 Liberal Party nomination, which was won by MP Han Dong. 

Another document showed that there was a “potential foreign interference by a politically connected Canadian” in 2019, however, this person was not named.  

The summary said that this person had “not previously been identified as acting on behalf of a foreign state but appeared to have been doing so in the period leading up to the 2019 election.” 

“The report initially assessed it likely the actor ‘has already had an impact on the 2019 federal election and will remain a foreign interference threat after the election,’” it noted.  

When it comes to the CCP, many Canadians, especially pro-freedom Chinese Canadians, are concerned with the nation’s influence in what is supposed to be a democratic process.

As for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, he has in the past praised China for its “basic dictatorship” and has labeled the authoritarian nation as his favorite country other than his own.