Records submitted by the Canadian Security and Intelligence Service (CSIS) to Canada's Commission on Foreign interference (or "China Inquiry" to some) directly contradict statements made by Prime Minister Trudeau and Defence Minister Bill Blair.
Inquiry reveals Trudeau warned 163 times about foreign interference | Western Standard | Western Standard News Services:
October 1, 2024 - "Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and senior federal officials were briefed 163 times over a six-year period about foreign interference, including threats to Canadian democratic institutions, according to newly-disclosed records. Blacklock's Reporter says despite the repeated warnings, Trudeau claimed as recently as 2023 that he was unaware of any significant illegal activity by foreign agents, particularly from China.
"A logbook from the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS), submitted to the Commission on Foreign Interference, documented the 163 formal briefings, which spanned from August 1, 2018, to March 15, 2024. The meetings covered potential interference during the 2019 and 2021 general elections, with CSIS flagging threats, including potentially illegal conduct by foreign actors ... planned, formal briefings specifically focused on foreign interference in Canadian institutions.
"Despite the extensive briefings, Trudeau maintained as late as May 2023 that CSIS never escalated the information to his level, suggesting it did not reach the necessary threshold of concern. 'The Canadian Security Intelligence Service knew about certain things but didn’t feel it reached a threshold that required them to pass it up out of CSIS,' Trudeau told reporters at the time. He added, 'CSIS made the determination it wasn’t something that needed to be raised to a higher level because it wasn’t a significant enough concern.'
"However, the logbook revealed that the prime minister, along with high-ranking officials such as Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland, Defence Minister Bill Blair, and other cabinet members, were briefed about the ongoing threats. Notably, no Opposition MPs targeted by foreign agents were warned during this period.... David Vigneault, the former director of CSIS, testified on April 12, confirming that he had indeed communicated these issues to the government....
"One of the most alarming documents, dated February 21, 2023, explicitly warned the Prime Minister's Office that Chinese agents posed an 'existential threat to Canadian democracy.' This memo came three months before Trudeau told the media he had not been warned about foreign interference."
Defence minister Blair caught misleading China Inquiry while under oath | Western Standard | Jen Hodgson:
30 September 30, 2024 - "Records submitted to the Commission on Foreign Interference suggest Defence Minister Bill Blair misled investigators while testifying under oath. Documents disclosed by lawyers marked the second time Blair’s explanation for the mishandling of security matters was contradicted, per Blacklock’s Reporter.
"Blair as public safety minister on May 11, 2021 approved a pre-election warrant application by the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) to monitor Liberal Party contacts at the Chinese Consulate in Toronto. Blair repeatedly swore he signed the request within hours of receiving it. 'He was specifically asked,' said Counsel van Ert. However a CSIS report disclosed Friday by the China Inquiry said it took 'at least six weeks' for Blair to sign the warrant.
"Blair has been recalled to testify October 11. He swore in a March 6 Interview Summary with commission counsel that 'it usually took 2.5 to three hours' for him to review a warrant application, not six weeks. Blair repeated his story last April 10. 'There was no delay.... The document was put in front of me on May 11. I signed it off the same day, about three hours later.'"
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