MPs expressed unease Tuesday in the aftermath of the bombshell revelation there are unnamed spies reporting to foreign governments operating within the Canadian elected government. One unnamed public office holder was suspected of “providing information learned in confidence from the government to a known intelligence officer of a foreign state,” per Blacklock’s Reporter. The National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians on Monday reported on Parliament Hill there are lawmakers who took secret payments from foreign embassies, spied on colleagues and acted at the “direction of foreign officials” against Canada’s interests.Some cabinet members insist the identity of the spies should be disclosed, while others say the matter is being dealt with by intelligence agencies and “we need to be careful.”Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland said it was up to police to take the next steps. “We should recognize this is a new time and it’s tougher,” said Freeland.“The report describes behaviour that might constitute treason, and yet we've seen no charges. Does that concern you?” asked a reporter. “I want to start by thanking the committee and the chair for their very serious work on this. Our government takes foreign interference extremely seriously. I think your question is an important one because the findings of the committee are concerning, and they should be. As the minister of public safety has said, we have confidence in our law enforcement bodies to do their job.”“And I am glad that our government has now put forward the strongest measures of any Canadian government when it comes to foreign interference, giving us — giving our law enforcement bodies the tools to act.” “It needs to be law enforcement that takes the steps. Actual enforcement actions can’t be politicized,” replied Freeland. “If we have potentially MPs still sitting in Parliament who this committee says wittingly participated with foreign governments to undermine our election, does that not undermine Canadian confidence in our Parliament?” asked a reporter. “I think Canadians recognize how lucky we are to be Canadian,” replied Freeland.“Doesn’t the public have a right to know who these parliamentarians might be, especially as we approach an election?” asked a reporter. “We take foreign interference really really seriously, and I’m just going to speak personally for a minute. Having worked in authoritarian regimes myself, I take the fight in the world right now between democracy and dictatorship really really seriously. And I think it’s moving to a new level," said Freeland.She did not specify what "authoritarian regimes" she had previously worked in. "I think Canadians should not be naive about the fact that one of the objectives of authoritarians around the world is to undermine democracies. They want to make us think that democracy just doesn’t work, and they wanna show their own people that they should accept authoritarian leadership, because democracy isn’t fit for purpose in the 21st century.” .Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc claimed there wasn’t enough evidence in the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) report. “You have to have a number of pieces before you get an accurate picture of the puzzle,” said LeBlanc.“Do you know who the MPs are?” asked a reporter. “I’m briefed all the time by national security agencies,” replied LeBlanc.“Do you think Canadians have a right to know who those MPs are?” asked a reporter. “Canadians need to know national security and intelligence agencies are doing the important work that they do,” replied LeBlanc.“The report has just been released. I think we have to take note of what is inside,” said Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne.“Shouldn’t these people be identified?” asked a reporter. “Agencies should follow up,” replied Champagne.“What needs to happen if you‘ve got MPs working with foreign governments?” asked a reporter. “It’s very concerning,” replied Champagne.Tourism Minister Soraya Martinez Ferrada, co-chair of the Liberal re-election campaign committee, said, “I think we have to be careful.”“Do you think we should know the names of these people?” asked a reporter. “That’s a good question,” replied Ferrada.Health Minister Mark Holland also expressed unease. “I think we have to be very careful,” he said.“Do you not want to know who these people are?” asked a reporter.“I think we have to be very careful. It’s easy to throw out a piece of information,” replied Holland
MPs expressed unease Tuesday in the aftermath of the bombshell revelation there are unnamed spies reporting to foreign governments operating within the Canadian elected government. One unnamed public office holder was suspected of “providing information learned in confidence from the government to a known intelligence officer of a foreign state,” per Blacklock’s Reporter. The National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians on Monday reported on Parliament Hill there are lawmakers who took secret payments from foreign embassies, spied on colleagues and acted at the “direction of foreign officials” against Canada’s interests.Some cabinet members insist the identity of the spies should be disclosed, while others say the matter is being dealt with by intelligence agencies and “we need to be careful.”Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland said it was up to police to take the next steps. “We should recognize this is a new time and it’s tougher,” said Freeland.“The report describes behaviour that might constitute treason, and yet we've seen no charges. Does that concern you?” asked a reporter. “I want to start by thanking the committee and the chair for their very serious work on this. Our government takes foreign interference extremely seriously. I think your question is an important one because the findings of the committee are concerning, and they should be. As the minister of public safety has said, we have confidence in our law enforcement bodies to do their job.”“And I am glad that our government has now put forward the strongest measures of any Canadian government when it comes to foreign interference, giving us — giving our law enforcement bodies the tools to act.” “It needs to be law enforcement that takes the steps. Actual enforcement actions can’t be politicized,” replied Freeland. “If we have potentially MPs still sitting in Parliament who this committee says wittingly participated with foreign governments to undermine our election, does that not undermine Canadian confidence in our Parliament?” asked a reporter. “I think Canadians recognize how lucky we are to be Canadian,” replied Freeland.“Doesn’t the public have a right to know who these parliamentarians might be, especially as we approach an election?” asked a reporter. “We take foreign interference really really seriously, and I’m just going to speak personally for a minute. Having worked in authoritarian regimes myself, I take the fight in the world right now between democracy and dictatorship really really seriously. And I think it’s moving to a new level," said Freeland.She did not specify what "authoritarian regimes" she had previously worked in. "I think Canadians should not be naive about the fact that one of the objectives of authoritarians around the world is to undermine democracies. They want to make us think that democracy just doesn’t work, and they wanna show their own people that they should accept authoritarian leadership, because democracy isn’t fit for purpose in the 21st century.” .Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc claimed there wasn’t enough evidence in the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) report. “You have to have a number of pieces before you get an accurate picture of the puzzle,” said LeBlanc.“Do you know who the MPs are?” asked a reporter. “I’m briefed all the time by national security agencies,” replied LeBlanc.“Do you think Canadians have a right to know who those MPs are?” asked a reporter. “Canadians need to know national security and intelligence agencies are doing the important work that they do,” replied LeBlanc.“The report has just been released. I think we have to take note of what is inside,” said Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne.“Shouldn’t these people be identified?” asked a reporter. “Agencies should follow up,” replied Champagne.“What needs to happen if you‘ve got MPs working with foreign governments?” asked a reporter. “It’s very concerning,” replied Champagne.Tourism Minister Soraya Martinez Ferrada, co-chair of the Liberal re-election campaign committee, said, “I think we have to be careful.”“Do you think we should know the names of these people?” asked a reporter. “That’s a good question,” replied Ferrada.Health Minister Mark Holland also expressed unease. “I think we have to be very careful,” he said.“Do you not want to know who these people are?” asked a reporter.“I think we have to be very careful. It’s easy to throw out a piece of information,” replied Holland
