Options for Public to Provide Testimony and Evidence in Confidence during Foreign Interference Inquiry to Alleviate Fears of Reprisals
Canada’s inquiry into foreign interference says it will put in place in the next few months measures allowing those who fear reprisals from participating in the process to ask that their identity and other information be protected.
The commission said it will establish a process allowing the public to “provide observations, suggestions, and share relevant experiences” related to its mandate of investigating foreign interference in Canadian elections. “This will be a user-friendly process, and those who choose to submit information will be able to request that their identity and certain information they provide be protected,” the notice stated.
Concerns were raised about Justice Marie-Josée Hogue, who heads the commission, granting “full standing” to MP Han Dong and former Ontario cabinet minister Michael Chan in the inquiry. The decision would allow them access to classified information and the right to question witnesses. Both individuals face allegations of involvement in Beijing’s interference in Canada’s 2019 and 2021 federal elections, according to media reports citing Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) allegations, which they have denied.
Mr. Dong and Mr. Chan didn’t respond to inquiries from The Epoch Times.
Canada-Hong Kong Link and seven other human rights organizations have formed a “Human Rights Coalition” that was granted full standing in the upcoming public inquiry scheduled to commence on Jan. 29. Five of the eight members in the coalition have asked the commissioner to reconsider her Dec. 4, 2023, decision.
In the latest Notice, the commission notes that the Rules of Practice and Procedure offer various measures to ensure the safety and security of individuals providing information. Under Rule 26, individuals may redact irrelevant personal information from documents before their disclosure. Rule 51 allows witnesses who want special arrangements for presenting their testimony to submit a request for accommodation.
“If necessary, the Commission may even decide to hear evidence in private, meaning that only the Commissioner, Commission counsel and an official stenographer may be present when the evidence is given,” the notice says, referencing Rules 82 to 84 from the Rules of Practice and Procedure.
The commission has created an email address, [email protected], where the public can send information in confidence.
“The Commission itself has put in place strict internal measures to ensure that any information provided through this email address will be kept confidential,” the notice said.
