Special watchdog to oversee foreign interference probes: Trudeau

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says he plans to appoint a new independent watchdog to investigate foreign interference in Canada.

Trudeau left the door open to a public inquiry if the “special rapporteur” he appoints thinks one is justified.

He said he is asking both the National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians and the National Security and Intelligence Review Agency to launch the new study on foreign interference focused on elections.

“All political leaders agree that the election outcomes in 2019, and in 2021, were not impacted by foreign interference,” Trudeau said Monday evening at a press conference on Parliament Hill.

“But even if it didn’t change the results of our elections, any interference attempt, by any foreign actor, is troubling and serious.”

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The move comes as the Liberal government faces heavy criticism that it did not respond when cautioned that China was trying to influence the results of the 2021 federal election, or when it was warned that a Liberal candidate nomination had been targeted in 2019.

The Globe and Mail, attributing classified records from Canada’s spy agency, reported last month that China tried to help ensure a Liberal minority win in 2021, and defeat Conservative politicians considered unfriendly to Beijing.

Trudeau said he does not require the “special rapporteur” he appoints to launch a public inquiry into allegations of foreign meddling.

Opposition parties have been demanding a full public inquiry to investigate what the government knew about attempts by foreign governments to meddle in elections.

Both Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre and NDP House Leader Peter Julian believe an “independent, non-partisan public inquiry” is needed.

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