BRAMPTON, Ont.—Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre said Canada’s public inquiry into foreign interference had gotten off to “a very bad start” as a human rights group withdrew its participation and the Tories were denied full standing.
The inquiry, focused on probing alleged election meddling, concluded its first set of public hearings last week.
As well, the Conservative Party, which was subject of Beijing interference in the last two elections according to leaked intelligence files, was denied full standing at the inquiry, which Mr. Poilievre takes issue with.
“Human rights groups have said they’re boycotting [the inquiry] because they don’t want to have to be cross-examined by lawyers who indirectly represent the Beijing communist government,” Mr. Poilievre told reporters at a press conference in Brampton, Ont., on Feb. 5.
“So the inquiry is off to a very bad start. And it’s more proof that [Prime Minister Justin Trudeau] wants to cover up the foreign interference so that he can benefit from Beijing helping him in the next election.”
Pressure to hold a public inquiry started building last year after national security leaks in the press depicted widespread interference by Beijing in Canada’s 2019 and 2021 federal elections.
These politicians face accusations of inappropriate ties to the Chinese consulates regarding election interference, along with other comments and actions perceived as favourable to Beijing. All three men have denied the allegations.
‘Bias’
Mr. Poilievre said he has “no doubt that Beijing will try to intervene again” in Canadian elections, while dismissing the foreign interference commission as biased.“There is a foreign influence inquiry underway. I don’t expect it will solve the problem because already we’re seeing bias from the chair of the commission,” he said.
