The House affairs committee yesterday voted for a deeper investigation of alleged Chinese interference in federal elections. According to Blacklock's Reporter, one Liberal MP dismissed the ongoing probe as a “Trump-like tactic to question election results.”.“I think that is dangerous, for Canadians to go down this road,” said Liberal MP Jennifer O’Connell (Pickering-Uxbridge, ON). “We have seen our neighbours to the south and what happens when you start demonizing democratic institutions and when you start undermining their legitimacy.”.“It is this partisan hack type stuff being thrown around,” said O’Connell, adding: “If we are just holding meetings to take partisan jabs at the Prime Minister then I think all we do is undermine our democratic institutions. We do China’s bidding.”.The committee adopted a motion that “for the purpose of addressing this significant threat to our democracy” it cross-examine Chief Electoral Officer Stéphane Perrault, Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly, Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino, Intergovernmental Affairs Minister Dominic LeBlanc, Emergency Preparedness Minister Bill Blair, National Security Advisor Jody Thomas and others..“We have ministers who come before this committee and claim they know nothing: ‘Nothing to see here, everything was more or less above board; oh, there was a little bit of interference, maybe,’” said Conservative MP Michael Cooper (St. Albert-Edmonton, AB), sponsor of the motion..“This campaign of interference is not trivial,” said Cooper. “It is not a case of one or two bad actors, not that one or two bad actors is something to turn a blind eye to. If established, what this amounts to is an all-out assault on Canadian democracy by the Chinese Communist regime and an effort that raises questions about the integrity of the election in 2021 in certain ridings targeted by Beijing. This should alarm every Canadian.”.Cabinet repeatedly dismissed allegations agents of the Chinese Communist Party sought to aid Liberal Party candidates in the 2019 and 2021 federal elections..“This is important,” said Bloc Québécois MP Marie-Helene Gaudreau (Laurentides-Labelle, QC). “We are worried. We need transparency. We trust, we hope, that we will shed light on this.”.Chief Electoral Officer Stéphane Perrault in November 23 testimony at the House affairs committee said he saw no evidence Chinese Communist agents interfered with local candidates..Perrault acknowledged he didn’t look. “There may be offences that are committed that we find out after the fact,” he said..Former Conservative MP Kenny Chiu (Steveston-Richmond East, BC) alleged foreign operatives worked against his campaign. Chiu served one term in Parliament and lost re-election to Liberal candidate Parm Bains by 3,477 votes.
