‘CSIS Briefs Liberal Party on Foreign Interference in 2021’
According to a document released during the foreign interference inquiry on April 8, Canada’s spy agency shared a sensitive briefing with the Liberal Party about foreign interference just days before the 2021 elections.
The Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) briefing, delivered to representatives from the Liberal Party on Sept. 12, 2021, expressed regret over having to inform them of the activity. It acknowledged the limitations on what actions they could take regarding the information provided.
This briefing was specifically given to Liberal Party officials Azam Ishmael and Braeden Caley for their awareness and judgment. It emphasized the need to respect the restrictions discussed in political party briefing forums regarding the sharing of classified intelligence.
During the 2019 elections, security-cleared Liberal Party officials were briefed about intelligence related to the Liberal nomination contest in the Don Valley North riding, eventually won by Han Dong. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was later briefed by his staff but chose to leave Mr. Dong in place, and he went on to win a seat in the House of Commons.
The details of the classified 2021 briefing and the foreign interference threat were censored in the released document. CSIS noted that the distribution of the intelligence was strictly limited to individuals with a “Secret” clearance or a genuine need to know.
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The briefing emphasized that the information should not be shared or discussed through open telephone lines, text messages, encrypted apps, emails, or any other means.
Threat Did Not Meet Threshold to Inform Canadians
During the testimony of bureaucrats from the Critical Election Incident Public Protocol (CEIPP), it was revealed that the 2021 briefing provided to the Liberal Party did not meet the threshold to inform the public about the issue of foreign interference.
Ms. Drouin further testified that the CEIPP and the security establishment were aware of intelligence before the 2019 vote indicating that the Chinese regime was financing federal candidates.
Referring the matter to the commissioner of Canada Elections, which confirmed investigations related to allegations concerning Han Dong and the involvement of the Chinese consulate in his nomination process, was also highlighted in the document.
