NDP Leader Expresses Heightened Concern Over Report on Foreign Collusion, Accuses Some MPs of Betrayal
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh expressed his deep concern after reviewing the unredacted version of an intelligence watchdog report that revealed some members of Parliament have been actively collaborating with foreign entities. He went so far as to label these MPs as “traitors” to Canada.
“I am even more alarmed now than I was before reading the report,” stated Mr. Singh during a press conference on June 13, following his review of the report published by the National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians (NSICOP) earlier this month.
“I am now more convinced than ever of the NSICOP committee’s conclusions, which outline that certain parliamentarians are, in the intelligence services’ words, ‘semi-witting or witting’ participants in foreign states’ attempts to interfere in our political affairs,” he added.
On June 3, NSICOP released its “Special Report on Foreign Interference,” which exposed that some parliamentarians knowingly assisted foreign states. It detailed interactions with foreign missions before or during elections to secure support from community groups or businesses, with diplomatic missions promising to discreetly mobilize support for a candidate. It also mentioned the acceptance of funds from foreign diplomatic posts either knowingly or through willful ignorance.
The report refrained from naming the involved MPs or senators, citing Canada’s failure to protect classified information and methods in legal proceedings as a barrier to their prosecution.
While Mr. Singh refrained from disclosing the names of the implicated lawmakers to safeguard national security efforts, he condemned their actions as “deeply unethical and contradictory to the oaths taken by parliamentarians to act in Canada’s best interests.”
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“There are politicians at various levels of government who have benefitted from foreign interference. Some of this conduct appears to be criminal and should be prosecuted,” he declared.
Removing MPs
On June 10, Mr. Singh announced that he would dismiss any MP from his caucus discovered to have “knowingly collaborated with a foreign government to undermine Canada.”
On June 13, he called for all parties to expel MPs named in the report, asserting that it would serve as a deterrent against such actions.
He confirmed on June 13 that he would not be removing any MPs from his caucus.
Conservative Party Leader Pierre Poilievre also vowed to expel any caucus member found to be conspiring with foreign powers.
Mr. Poilievre declined to obtain clearance to review the classified reports, citing a desire to be unrestricted in informing Canadians. The Conservatives have urged the Liberal government to disclose the names of the MPs involved in foreign involvement, arguing that the lack of transparency casts suspicion on all legislators.
On January 12, Green Party Leader Elizabeth May assured reporters that following her review of the report, she harbored no concerns about any House of Commons members. She remarked that the work of NSICOP had been overshadowed by what she considered an exaggerated media frenzy.
