Senator Yuen Pau Woo (BC), appointed by the Liberals, has called for the identification and prosecution of any federal employees involved in leaking secret memos concerning Chinese interference, says Blacklock's Reporter.The senator's demand, outlined in a submission to the Commission on Foreign Interference, was made public this week.In his submission, Woo raised critical questions regarding the impact of the leaks on Canadian democracy and national security. "To what extent has Canadian democracy and national security been damaged by the leaks and subsequent developments?" Woo queried. He also questioned the reliability of piecemeal intelligence leaked by possibly misinformed or disgruntled officials, emphasizing the need for accountability.Woo pressed for answers regarding measures taken to prevent future leaks and the failure to identify and prosecute the individuals responsible.The Commission's documents confirmed previous reports by Global News and the Globe & Mail, revealing that cabinet had disregarded repeated warnings of Elections Act misconduct by foreign agents. One memo from the Canadian Security Intelligence Service labelled interference by the People's Republic of China as an "existential threat to Canadian democracy."While Woo refrained from commenting on the "existential threat" memo, he criticized media reports for sensationalizing the issue, likening it to Cold War-era hysteria. He expressed concerns about the impact of leaked classified information on public trust in the electoral process and called for greater responsibility from both the media and the political class in addressing such matters.Furthermore, Woo urged the Commission to explore ways to enhance Canadians' resilience against misinformation and disinformation without resorting to witch hunts. Despite being granted standing at the Commission, Woo did not participate in questioning witnesses, citing his collaboration with members of the Chinese community concerned about unfounded allegations of foreign interference.
Senator Yuen Pau Woo (BC), appointed by the Liberals, has called for the identification and prosecution of any federal employees involved in leaking secret memos concerning Chinese interference, says Blacklock's Reporter.The senator's demand, outlined in a submission to the Commission on Foreign Interference, was made public this week.In his submission, Woo raised critical questions regarding the impact of the leaks on Canadian democracy and national security. "To what extent has Canadian democracy and national security been damaged by the leaks and subsequent developments?" Woo queried. He also questioned the reliability of piecemeal intelligence leaked by possibly misinformed or disgruntled officials, emphasizing the need for accountability.Woo pressed for answers regarding measures taken to prevent future leaks and the failure to identify and prosecute the individuals responsible.The Commission's documents confirmed previous reports by Global News and the Globe & Mail, revealing that cabinet had disregarded repeated warnings of Elections Act misconduct by foreign agents. One memo from the Canadian Security Intelligence Service labelled interference by the People's Republic of China as an "existential threat to Canadian democracy."While Woo refrained from commenting on the "existential threat" memo, he criticized media reports for sensationalizing the issue, likening it to Cold War-era hysteria. He expressed concerns about the impact of leaked classified information on public trust in the electoral process and called for greater responsibility from both the media and the political class in addressing such matters.Furthermore, Woo urged the Commission to explore ways to enhance Canadians' resilience against misinformation and disinformation without resorting to witch hunts. Despite being granted standing at the Commission, Woo did not participate in questioning witnesses, citing his collaboration with members of the Chinese community concerned about unfounded allegations of foreign interference.
