Conservatives Claim Inquiry Report Confirms Beijing’s Interference in Canadian Democracy

Quoting excerpts from the report, the Tories highlighted that the interference impacted the last two general elections, undermining the right of Canadians to have fair electoral processes and democratic institutions free from covert influence.

The Commissioner also mentioned examples of Beijing’s interference affecting voters’ ability to cast informed votes.

Justice Hogue’s report identified China as the most persistent and sophisticated foreign interference threat to Canada. Although the interference did not alter the government formation in the 2019 and 2021 elections, it did erode public trust in the election process.

The report emphasized that foreign interference in these elections violated the voters’ right to a coercion-free electoral ecosystem.

While the report couldn’t confirm the exact impact, it suggested that foreign interference might have influenced results in a few ridings.

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One example highlighted in the report involved the Don Valley North riding in Ontario, where international students were reportedly bused in to support the Liberal nomination of Han Dong in 2019, and Steveston—Richmond East in British Columbia, where then-Tory MP Kenny Chiu faced a misinformation campaign.

The report noted the significance of the Don Valley North riding as a Liberal stronghold, suggesting that interference in the nomination contest could have influenced the parliamentary election results. Intelligence documents indicated that international students were misled and coerced to back Mr. Dong, who won the elections in 2019 and 2021. Mr. Dong has denied any involvement in these occurrences.

Although Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was informed of these irregularities, he postponed a review until after the election, questioning the credibility of the intelligence reports.

Regarding Mr. Trudeau’s decision-making, the Tories criticized the prioritize of Liberal political interests.

Mr. Dong resigned from the Liberal caucus amid reports about his ties to the Chinese consulate and has not been readmitted, despite expressing a desire to rejoin.

The report also highlighted misinformation targeting then-Tory leader Erin O’Toole and Mr. Chiu during the 2021 election due to their anti-China stances. Mr. Chiu’s efforts to counter false narratives were not well-received by Chinese-language outlets.

Justice Hogue noted a possibility that false narratives could have affected election results but could not confirm it.

The report also mentioned that NDP MP Jenny Kwan faced exclusion from local events in Vancouver due to her opposition to the Chinese regime’s human rights abuses.

The opposition parties pressured the inquiry following media reports on Beijing’s interference based on leaks. The Liberal government initially appointed David Johnston as special rapporteur, but he resigned due to potential conflict of interest concerns.

The Tories stressed that while the report stated the overall election results remained unaffected, individual riding outcomes could have been influenced by the interference.

They called on the Trudeau Government to acknowledge and address the interference for the sake of democracy.

The final report is expected by the end of the year and will focus on informing the public about foreign interference threats, communicating information to the government, and reviewing nomination contest rules.