Canada’s spy agency is refusing to disclose how many federal ridings were targeted by foreign agents during the 2025 general election, drawing sharp criticism from opposition MPs who say voters have a right to know.“I am not able to tell you the numbers,” Vanessa Lloyd, a CSIS election monitor, told the House of Commons affairs committee when asked how many constituencies were affected.Blacklock's Reporter said Conservative MP Grant Jackson (Brandon–Souris, Man.) pressed Lloyd directly. “Was my seat targeted?” he asked. “Do you think I have the right to know that as a Member of Parliament?”Lloyd declined to answer. She served as CSIS’ delegate to the Security and Intelligence Threats to Elections Task Force, which monitored foreign interference during the campaign.“During the election period the Task Force observed instances of foreign interference,” Lloyd testified, but refused to identify which ridings were involved or how many were affected.“In not all instances would we be able to share the detail of where we detected those occurrences with Canadians,” she said.Jackson said that explanation made little sense now that the election is over and results are certified..“I understand that during the election,” he said. “But we’re well past the election now. The results are finalized, certified. They’re in government, we’re not. It’s pretty final. So I don’t understand now why you cannot share that. Just give us the number of seats.”Lloyd did not provide a number.“I believe, and I think most of us believe, that Canadians have the right to know what those constituencies are that are being targeted by foreign states,” Jackson added, urging CSIS to reconsider its position.One riding has already been publicly identified. Don Valley North in Toronto was targeted by Chinese foreign agents during the 2025 campaign. Threats against Conservative candidate and podcaster Joe Tay were serious enough that the RCMP recommended he suspend his campaign.Conservative MP Michael Cooper (St. Albert–Sturgeon River, Alta.) said Canadians deserve transparency beyond that single case.“We know Beijing targeted Conservative candidate Joe Tay in Don Valley North,” said Cooper. “In how many other ridings were foreign interference activities detected during the 2025 election?”Lloyd again refused to provide a figure..“How many ridings aside from Don Valley North were targeted?” Cooper asked.“I am not able to provide you the number of reports that came into the Task Force,” Lloyd replied.“Were there other candidates targeted?” Cooper pressed.“As I mentioned, we were alert,” Lloyd said.“All we’re getting is stonewalling,” Cooper responded. “When questions are put to witnesses, I think they have a duty to answer when I ask yes or no questions that are straightforward.”Even Liberal MP Chris Bittle (St. Catharines, Ont.), who chairs the committee, signalled frustration with the lack of answers.“I can’t make the witnesses answer,” Bittle said, noting he had previously sat in the same position as opposition members seeking information. “Members are here, they are elected to represent their constituents. If there are reasons, be it for national security issues that are classified, perhaps those can be explained.”“It will be a long committee meeting if this information isn’t classified and members’ questions aren’t answered,” Bittle warned.No witness cited a specific national security classification or legal prohibition preventing disclosure of the number of ridings targeted by foreign agents.The exchange underscores continuing concerns over Beijing’s interference efforts and the federal government’s handling of intelligence disclosures, as MPs demand greater accountability from Canada’s security agencies.
