Connect with us

espionage

Canada’s intelligence chief says he personally warned Trudeau about China’s election meddling

Published

6 minute read

David Vigneault

From LifeSiteNews

By Anthony Murdoch

Canadian Security Intelligence Service director David Vigneault authenticated memos used during private meetings with the prime minister as well as his staff concerning Chinese Communist deception.

The head of Canada’s intelligence agency testified under oath that he gave Justin Trudeau multiple warnings that agents of the Communist Chinese Party (CCP) were going after Conservative MPs yet the prime minister has denied he ever got these warnings.

In what appears to be a contradiction of Trudeau’s claim that he was not briefed directly about CCP meddling in Canada’s electoral process, Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) director David Vigneault said late last week at the Foreign Interference Commission that he indeed had “communicated” the issues.

He then authenticated memos used during private meetings with Trudeau as well as his staff concerning CCP deception, which was also noted in a “top secret” memo titled Briefing to the Prime Minister’s Office on Foreign Interference Threats to Canada’s Democratic Institutions, dated February 21, 2023.

The six-page memo went into full detail as to the extent of CCP subterfuge that targeted Canada’s Conservative Party in the 2019 and 2021 federal elections.

The memo read that CCP agents “were almost certainly motivated by a perception the Conservative Party of Canada was promoting a platform that was perceived to be anti-China,” also stating that 2021 election anomalies were “aimed at discouraging Canadians, particularly of Chinese heritage, from supporting the Conservative Party, leader Erin O’Toole and particularly Steveston-Richmond East candidate Kenny Chiu.”

“We know the People’s Republic of China clandestinely and deceptively interfered in both the 2019 and 2021 general elections,” the memo reads.

Vigneault confirmed he used similar language when speaking with Trudeau and political aides.

At the Commission inquiry, Gib van Ert, counsel for Conservative MP Michael Chong, asked Vigneault if “this knowledge something you or the Canadian Security Intelligence Service as a body communicated to the Prime Minister?”

“It is indeed something I communicated,” Vigneault replied.

“Yes, these words are carefully selected,” Vigneault replied.

Earlier this week, LifeSiteNews reported that details from the “top secret” memo have shown that Trudeau’s office was giving explicit warnings by Canadian intelligence that agents of the CCP were an “existential threat to Canadian democracy.”

The Foreign Interference Commission was convened to “examine and assess the interference by China, Russia, and other foreign states or non-state actors, including any potential impacts, to confirm the integrity of, and any impacts on, the 43rd and 44th general elections (2019 and 2021 elections) at the national and electoral district levels.”

The Commission is being headed by Justice Marie-Josée Hogue, who had earlier said that she and her lawyers will remain “impartial” and will not be influenced by politics and began January 29.

In January, Hogue said that she would “uncover the truth whatever it may be.”

Spy head: Trudeau was ‘briefed’

Last week, the commission learned about another “secret” memo from October 26, 2022, about “clandestinely supported candidates” states that “People’s Republic of China officials could be emboldened in their electoral interference efforts by the 2021 defeat of former Richmond MP Kenny Chiu.”

During testimony at the commission, Vigneault confirmed that he mentioned the matter with Trudeau, saying, “This is one of the cases I briefed the Prime Minister on that day.”

Shantona Chaudhury, counsel for the commission, asked him if he was able to recall “whether that is something you conveyed to the Prime Minister?”

“I don’t remember if I used these exact words but talking about that specific case, I put that case in context in relation to other People’s Republic of China activities,” Vigneault replied.

Nando de Luca, counsel for the Conservative Party, then asked Vigneault if the information was specifically communicated to Trudeau.

“I can tell you some of that information was absolutely used to brief on a very specific topic,” Vigneault replied.

Vigneault then noted that all the top-secret memos, which were composed for his meetings with Trudeau’s office, contained many facts as well as similar language he had spoken of many times.

“I have verbalized some of these issues in the past,” Vigneault told the commission.

Despite the warnings given to Trudeau’s office, not once were opposition MPs warned that they were a target of CCP agents.

In May 2023, Trudeau said to reporters that he did not know anything about CCP agents targeting conservative MPs.

“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,” he said.

“Was it briefed up out of the Canadian Security Intelligence Service? It was not,” he added, saying that “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.”

Todayville is a digital media and technology company. We profile unique stories and events in our community. Register and promote your community event for free.

Follow Author

espionage

Release the names! Foreign interference scandal reaching boiling point in shocking press conference

Published on

Independent MP, Investigative Reporter, Former CSIS Asia-Pacific Desk Chief shed new light on foreign interference

Press conference is hosted by (Former Liberal) Independent MP Kevin Vuong:

  • MP Kevin Vuong;
  • Sam Cooper, Investigative Journalist;
  • Dr. Carles Burton, Senior Fellow Sinopsis;
  • Michel Juneau-Katsua, Former CSIS Asia-Pacific Desk Chief.

 

Continue Reading

espionage

Reporter releases names of 4 Canadian politicians allegedly involved in foreign interference

Published on

From LifeSiteNews

By Anthony Murdoch

Investigative journalist Sam Cooper released a small list of names of those in government he says whistleblowers told him were involved, in some cases wittingly and in other cases unwittingly, in aiding China’s meddling efforts in Canadian politics.

Four politicians along with one government advisor were named as allegedly being involved in a scheme backed by communist China to purposely interfere in Canada’s electoral process.  

Investigative journalist Sam Cooper claims that confidential whistleblowers have given him the names of politicians and government workers who wittingly and unwittingly helped China interfere in Canadian politics.

The information came to light Monday during a press conference with Independent Canadian MP Kevin Vuong and Cooper, who were also joined by three foreign interference experts. The group held the press conference to bring to light more details regarding accusations that were made by the House of Commons National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians (NSICOP) in the spring of this year. 

Thus far, two of those named have denied the allegations, those being Liberal International Trade Minister Mary Ng and Trudeau-appointed Liberal Senator Yuen Pao Woo.

The others named by Cooper include Liberal MP for Steveston—Richmond East, Parm Bains, Guo Ding, who is a journalist as well as an advisor to British Columbia’s recently re-elected Premier David Eby, as well as former Conservative Party senator Victor Oh.  

As of press time, none of these individuals have spoken out about the allegations made by Cooper.  

In the spring of this year, the NSICOP report implied there were at least 11 unidentified officials who wittingly or unwittingly helped foreign entities, notably China as well as India, in their meddling in the Canadian electoral process.  

As for MP Vuong, he has been under investigation for having been targeted by foreign agents and has said that the best solution to “clear the air” is to have all the names in the NSICOP report released. 

“Here’s an easy solution to clear the air: Release The Names,” he wrote on X Tuesday in reply to a post from Ng who said it was “unfortunate that Mr. Vuong recently gave Sam Cooper another platform to make insinuations about me, which I categorically reject.” 

As for Cooper, he has claimed that no less than three national security sources from Canada’s intelligence agency gave him information that Ng was identified as one of the 11 people named in the NSICOP report. He did note that that intelligence did say Ng was unwittingly implicated in the alleged foreign interference scandal. 

The Foreign Interference Commission was convened to “examine and assess the interference by China, Russia, and other foreign states or non-state actors, including any potential impacts, to confirm the integrity of, and any impacts on, the 43rd and 44th general elections (2019 and 2021 elections) at the national and electoral district levels.” 

The commission is headed by Justice Marie-Josée Hogue, who had earlier said she and her lawyers will remain “impartial” and will not be influenced by politics. In January, Hogue said that she would  “uncover the truth whatever it may be.” 

As reported by LifeSiteNews, documents from a federal inquiry looking at meddling in Canada’s past two elections by foreign state actors show that agents of the Communist Chinese Party allegedly worked at Elections Canada polling centers during the 2021 campaign. 

To date, Trudeau has been coy and has never explicitly stated whether he was ever told by the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) that CCP agents’ actions were in breach of the nation’s Elections Act. 

A few months ago, the head of Canada’s intelligence agency testified under oath that he gave Trudeau multiple warnings that agents of the CCP were going after Conservative MPs, yet the prime minister has denied receiving these warnings. 

Continue Reading

Trending

X