RCMP Commissioner Michael Duheme appears as a witness at the Public Inquiry Into Foreign Interference in Federal Electoral Processes and Democratic Institutions in Ottawa on Thursday, April 4, 2024. Duheme says the Mounties did not open any foreign interference-related criminal investigations during Canada's last two federal elections. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick
OTTAWA – The head of the RCMP says the police force did not open any foreign interference-related criminal investigations during the last two general elections.
RCMP commissioner Mike Duheme also says none of the force’s partners referred intelligence to the Mounties that would have warranted such criminal investigations.
However, after the 2021 general election, the Mounties did begin investigations, including one prompted by Conservative MP Michael Chong’s statement about being a target of meddling.
Duheme made the comments in a classified February interview with a federal commission of inquiry into foreign interference.
A public summary of the interview was tabled today at the inquiry’s public hearings.
The hearings are part of the inquiry’s examination of possible foreign interference by China, India, Russia and others in the last two general elections.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 4, 2024.
Note to readers: This is a corrected story. An earlier version erroneously identified Dan Rogers, currently deputy national security and intelligence adviser to the prime minister, as the deputy head of the Communications Security Establishment.
