Katie Telford, chief of staff to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, arrives for a meeting of the Liberal Caucus on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on February 14, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang
OTTAWA – The prime minister’s national security adviser says while foreign meddling takes place in Canada, that doesn’t mean it works.
Nathalie Drouin indicated to a federal inquiry today that officials monitored attempts to interfere in the last two Canadian elections but did not see significant effects.
A 2023 Canadian Security Intelligence Service memo tabled at the inquiry this week says state actors can interfere successfully in Canada because there are few legal or political consequences.
It says Chinese activities in the 2019 and 2021 general elections were focused largely on supporting those seen as pro-China or neutral on issues of interest to Beijing.
Senior bureaucrats did not find the activities in either election were serious enough to warrant notifying the public under a special protocol.
An initial report of findings from the commission of inquiry is due May 3.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 9, 2024.
