Trudeau Admits Limited Knowledge of Beijing Interference Reports Advisers Initially Hid

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau defended his top security advisers for not providing him with comprehensive reports on Beijing’s interference at the time, stating that he did not gain any significant insights after reading them.

During his testimony at the Foreign Interference Commission on Oct. 16, Trudeau mentioned that while there were interesting facts and tidbits in the reports, they did not change his perception of China’s behavior, focus, engagement, influence, or interference in Canada in a significant way.

The Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) produced an intelligence assessment known as the “Targeting Paper” in 2021, discussing how China targets parliamentarians in Canada. However, Trudeau did not receive this paper initially as it was deemed too sensitive for distribution.

Former CSIS director David Vigneault stated that the “Targeting Paper” contained valuable intelligence on how Beijing targets elected officials in Canada and that Trudeau should have seen it.

Despite this, Trudeau expressed trust in his then-national security and intelligence adviser’s decision not to send him the document, as he believed it did not add significantly to his understanding of the situation.

Trudeau also mentioned another intelligence report produced by the PCO’s Intelligence Assessment Secretariat (IAS) in late 2021, known as the “Special Report” on “China’s Foreign Interference Activities.” This report, leaked to the press in November 2022, detailed intelligence about 11 federal candidates receiving support from Beijing during the 2019 election.

Trudeau stated that he did not find any new information in the “Special Report” after reading it later on, and he agreed with the decision not to rush to present it to him.

Overall, Trudeau defended his advisers’ judgments in not providing him with these reports promptly, stating that he did not find them particularly revelatory or essential in shaping his understanding of China’s engagement in Canada.



Source link