1. News
  2. Globe: India and China use illegal funds and disinformation to sway politicians, CSIS report says

Globe: India and China use illegal funds and disinformation to sway politicians, CSIS report says

China and India are deeply engaged in attempting to influence diaspora communities and elect MPs sympathetic to their interests through illicit funding and disinformation campaigns, according to a CSIS report tabled at the public inquiry into foreign interference.

The inquiry has already heard testimony about the broad range of China’s foreign-influence activities, but the new Canadian Security Intelligence Service document details how heavily involved the government of India is in trying to meddle in Canadian domestic affairs and undermine support for the Khalistan movement that seeks an independent Sikh state in Punjab.

Ms. Kwan told the inquiry that Justice Marie-Josée Hogue must come up with a plan to disclose the names of parliamentarians who allegedly collaborated with foreign governments for their own benefit, with some of them “wittingly” helping China and India meddle in Canadian politics.

“If you were an unwitting participant and if you were not warned about it and you don’t know this is happening and no one has told you, then you will carry on business as usual,’” she said. “If you are, on the other hand, a willing participant in foreign-interference activities then there needs to be accountability. It can’t be that we just turn a blind eye.”

The House of Commons asked the inquiry to investigate a report by the National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians that found some federal politicians are collaborating with foreign governments to advance their own interests.

Justice Hogue told the inquiry Monday that she won’t be able to publicly name politicians suspected of wittingly or unwittingly participating in foreign-interference activities.

Ms. Kwan also told the inquiry it is urgent to take action against Chinese-owned social-media outlets such as WeChat and TikTok, which she said either censor or promote disinformation.

She later told reporters she’s proud for speaking out against China’s crushing of democracy in Hong Kong and jailing dissidents, even if that means pro-Beijing proxies work against her in the next election.

“What’s happening in Hong Kong right now literally breaks my heart. It makes me want to weep,” Ms. Kwan said.

 

Click this link to read the Globe news story:
https://www.theglobeandmail.com/politics/article-india-and-china-use-illegal-funds-and-disinformation-to-sway/?login=true

Latest posts

National Post: 'Not informed': Mélanie Joly tells inquiry she was kept in the dark for years on foreign interference

Earlier this week, current national security and intelligence adviser Nathalie Drouin said she had seen no evidence there are “traitors” in Parliament and that some of the conclusions in the NSICOP report made her “very uncomfortable.”

Mendicino said he believes there is a need to “clear the air” about NSICOP’s findings.

“I am very worried that the entire conversation around foreign interference and parliamentarians is being transformed into a kangaroo court with very little regard for the process of understanding how we assess intelligence,” he told the inquiry.

“I think it is extremely important that we heed the opinion and the evidence that has been given to this commission, from Ms. Drouin, from CSIS, around the fact that… this NSICOP report has gone further than where they are at in the assessment of the intelligence,” he added.

CBC: Joly says she wasn't briefed on foreign interference for over a year

Under questioning by Sujit Choudhry, lawyer for NDP MP Jenny Kwan, Mendicino agreed that officials need to clear the air on foreign interference and parliamentarians.

"I am very worried that the entire conversation around foreign interference and parliamentarians is being transformed into a kangaroo court, with very little regard for the process of understanding how we assess intelligence, especially given its rapidly evolving nature," he said.

CBC: Bill Blair's former chief of staff rejects claims of political motive behind 54-day warrant delay

 

Sujit Choudhry, lawyer for NDP MP Jenny Kwan, asked why Astravas had asked for a briefing on Vanweenan lists in connection with that warrant when she would have seen similar lists attached to previous warrant applications handled by Blair's office. 

"Did you recognize any of the names on that list?" asked Choudhry. "As you can appreciate, I can't discuss the contents of a Vanweenan list or a specific warrant in this forum and I have spoken with the commission about this," responded Astravas.

Despite Astravas being peppered with questions about the delay in arranging for Blair to be briefed and to sign the warrant, by the end of her testimony, it still wasn't clear why it took so long. Two other warrants that were applied for during that time period were signed with delays of only a few days and Blair had a number of secure conversations with the director of CSIS during that period.

Astravas revealed that Blair was aware of the foreign interference investigation that triggered the warrant before CSIS submitted the application.

More

Are you ready to take action?

Constituent Resources
Mobile Offices
Contact Jenny

Sign up for updates

Vancouver Constituency Office

Email:
Phone: 604-775-5800
Address:
2572 E Hastings
Vancouver, BC, V5K 1Z3

Ottawa Parliamentary Office

Email:
Phone: 613-992-6030
Address:
House of Commons
Ottawa, ON K1A 0A6
(postage-free)