Canada's national intelligence agency has uncovered evidence suggesting that China interfered in the country's 2019 and 2021 elections, both of which were won by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's Liberal Party. The interference was reportedly strategic, aimed at supporting candidates perceived as favorable to China or neutral on issues related to the Chinese government.
The revelation came during a session of a commission initiated by Trudeau to investigate foreign interference in Canadian elections. The commission reviewed a presentation slide featuring information from a February 2023 briefing by the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS), which indicated that China clandestinely interfered in both the 2019 and 2021 elections.
The interference was described as aiming to support candidates viewed as pro-China or neutral, with the intent of influencing Canadian politics in favor of Beijing's interests. While China has denied any involvement in Canadian politics, the findings from the CSIS assessment suggest otherwise.
Opposition legislators, including Erin O'Toole from the Conservative Party, raised concerns about Chinese interference, alleging that it may have affected the outcome of the elections. However, Trudeau's administration has faced criticism for not adequately addressing the issue.
Trudeau is expected to testify before the commission, and during the 2021 campaign, his party's stance on China, including condemning Beijing's treatment of the Uyghur minority and pledging to ban Huawei from the 5G network, drew attention.
Members of the New Democratic Party also highlighted repercussions faced for criticizing Beijing's policies, indicating a decline in invitations to events hosted by the influential ethnic Chinese community in Canada.
The Chinese embassy has not responded to the CSIS's statement regarding election interference. In a related incident in 2023, a Conservative legislator with ties to Hong Kong was targeted in an online disinformation campaign, leading to the suspension of a senior Chinese diplomat.
