Records submitted to the Commission on Foreign Interference suggest Defence Minister Bill Blair misled investigators while testifying under oath.Documents disclosed by lawyers marked the second time Blair’s explanation for the mishandling of security matters was contradicted, per Blacklock’s Reporter.“It is evidence that a minister of the Crown gave under sworn testimony,” said Gib van Ert, counsel for Conservative MP Michael Chong.“Not just any minister of the Crown, a former police officer who has given testimony in sworn proceedings probably hundreds of times.”Blair as public safety minister on May 11, 2021 approved a pre-election warrant application by the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) to monitor Liberal Party contacts at the Chinese Consulate in Toronto. Blair repeatedly swore he signed the request within hours of receiving it. “He was specifically asked,” said Counsel van Ert.However a CSIS report disclosed Friday by the China Inquiry said it took “at least six weeks” for Blair to sign the warrant..China inquiry hears former parliamentarian operated on behalf of foreign state.Blair has been recalled to testify October 11. He swore in a March 6 Interview Summary with commission counsel that “it usually took 2.5 to three hours” for him to review a warrant application, not six weeks.Blair repeated his story last April 10. “There was no delay of several months,” said Blair.“The document was put in front of me on May 11. I signed it off the same day, about three hours later.”“Am I correct that your evidence is it usually takes you 2.5 hours to three hours to review and sign off on such a warrant?” asked Nando de Luca, counsel for the Conservative Party.“Approximately,” replied Blair.“It depends on the complexity of the application but that’s usually the amount it takes.”“Would you agree warrants and applications for warrants are very often time sensitive?” asked Counsel de Luca.“Yes sir,” replied Blair.“And you’d agree that delaying in approving or applying for a warrant could jeopardize an investigation?” asked de Luca.“Any undue delay can be problematic,” replied Blair.“Can you comment on why it took so long for you to sign off on the warrant?” asked de Luca.“False,” replied Blair.“What aspects of it are false?” asked de Luca.“There was no delay,” replied Blair..WATCH: First of 50 military tanks loaded in trucks in Ontario to be sent to Ukraine as Blair promises even more to war efforts . The signing of the warrant marked the second incident in which Blair gave false or contradictory accounts of his handling of security matters. Blair in June 1, 2023 testimony at the House Affairs Committee said he was never told of a security memo warning that Chinese agents intended to target the families of two opposition legislators, MP Chong and NDP MP Jenny Kwan.Neither MP was ever warned. “I was never notified,” testified Blair.However subsequent committee records showed CSIS had in fact put the warnings in writing and sent them to numerous authorities including Blair’s office. Blair later blamed CSIS for sending the secret document to the wrong office.“They sent it to another office with the intent that I would somehow get to see it,” Blair told reporters at the time. “The briefing note was sent to another deputy head, to another office, not my office, and I was never advised.”“No one in my office was ever made aware that there was a memo. “Who didn’t give it to you?” asked a reporter. “It was a top secret memo I did not know existed,” replied Blair.“Who was supposed to print this off and show it to you?” asked a reporter.“The Canadian Security Intelligence Service had top secret information that they felt I should see and clearly the process they had in place to bring it to my attention was not complete,” replied Blair. .China Inquiry Commissioner Hogue cannot unmask Parliament Hill spies
