David McGuinty, chair of the National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians, holds a news conference to release committee's annual report, in Ottawa, Thursday, March 12, 2020. The committee of parliamentarians that oversees national security says it has begun a study of foreign interference, following a request from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Fred Chartrand
OTTAWA – Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly says Canada refused to give a diplomatic visa to a political operative for China last fall due to concerns about foreign interference.
She told MPs on a House of Commons committee on Thursday it was the right thing to do, and just one tool that Canada uses to combat foreign interference.
Joly was testifying as the House affairs committee studies possible foreign interference in the 2019 and 2021 general elections.
The minister said the Liberal government takes the issue seriously, and that she would send Chinese diplomats packing “very, very quickly” if there was evidence that they interfered with Canada’s elections or violated the Vienna Convention.
A committee of parliamentarians that oversees national security said on Wednesday that it has also begun a study of foreign interference, following a request from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
In a statement, the National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians said it will examine the state of foreign interference in Canada’s democratic processes since 2018.
That will continue the work done in its previous review of the government’s response to foreign interference, which covered the period from 2015 to 2018.
The committee said it will also consider the independent report by former public servant Morris Rosenberg on the federal protocol for monitoring foreign interference attempts during the last general election.
The committee, chaired by Liberal MP David McGuinty, plans to consult other review bodies to avoid duplication as it develops its terms of reference for the latest review.
“Foreign interference and influence have been identified as significant threats to the rights and freedoms of Canadians and Canadian society,” McGuinty said in the statement.
“The committee recognizes the importance of preserving the integrity of our institutions, and looks forward to building upon its previous review of the government’s response to foreign interference.”
Earlier this week, Trudeau urged the committee and another spy watchdog, the National Security and Intelligence Review Agency, to look into foreign interference in light of recent concerns about possible Chinese meddling in the last two federal elections.
The government also plans to appoint an “eminent Canadian” with a broad mandate on the issue. The independent rapporteur will be responsible for informing the work of NSIRA and NSICOP and any other existing processes and investigations that may be carried out by bodies like Canada’s Commissioner of Elections.
The rapporteur will make public recommendations, which could include a formal inquiry or some other independent review process, and the government said it will abide by the guidance.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 9, 2023.
