Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental Affairs Dominic LeBlanc arrives to appear before the Senate Standing Committee on National Security, Defence and Veterans Affairs in Ottawa, on Wednesday, June 12, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/ Patrick Doyle
OTTAWA – Democratic Institutions Minister Dominic LeBlanc affirmed a plan to have an ongoing commission of inquiry delve into allegations about MPs colluding with foreign meddlers.
But LeBlanc stopped short Wednesday of accepting a demand from one senator to give commissioner Marie-Josée Hogue the power to publicly name MPs involved in interference.
The National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians said in a public report last week that some MPs wittingly assisted the efforts of foreign states to interfere in Canadian politics.
Under questioning at a committee from Sen. Claude Carignan, LeBlanc said the government would give Hogue the “appropriate mandate” to examine the issue of possible meddling by MPs.
But LeBlanc said in French the notion of the commission publicly disclosing names is “an issue of law,” adding he did not want to “advance an opinion to a judge as important” as Hogue, who sits on the Quebec Court of Appeal.
Carignan said Hogue must be given “the power to name people if violations, or offences, have been committed,” along with the power to refer matters so that criminal investigations can take place.
LeBlanc replied, “It’s not a question that can be answered with a yes or no.”
The minister indicated Hogue would be provided with the necessary documentation to explore the issues, but not explicit direction to make findings about the culpability of individual MPs.
The House of Commons voted Tuesday in favour of a Bloc Québécois motion to have the federal inquiry examine the unproven accusations.
The Green Party’s Elizabeth May, who has top secret-level security clearance, said Tuesday she was “vastly relieved” after reading an unredacted version of the report.
May, co-leader of the Greens, said she believes the small number of MPs named in the report did not knowingly set out to betray Canada.
She said one unnamed former MP accused in the report of proactively sharing privileged information with a foreign operative should be fully investigated by authorities.
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh and Bloc Leader Yves-François Blanchet have also signalled their desire to be briefed on the full intelligence watchdog report.
Singh was slated to see the unredacted report late Wednesday and speak to the media Thursday about what he has learned.
Singh has said that if the report shows any New Democrat MP knowingly took part in meddling, he would remove them from caucus. He has suggested other party leaders take the same approach.
Asked if he would use his parliamentary privilege to divulge the report’s full findings in the House of Commons, Singh said Wednesday he would “not do anything that jeopardizes national security.”
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has not taken steps to acquire the security clearance needed to read the full report.
As they met for their weekly caucus meeting Wednesday, Conservative MPs did not stop to answer questions about whether Poilievre should read the report.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 12, 2024.
– With a file from Stephanie Taylor
