Canadians Want ‘True Answers and Not Political Games’: Trudeau on Election Interference Investigations

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau speaks during a news conference on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on March 6, 2023. Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press

Canadians want “true answers and not political games” when it comes to ongoing investigations into reports of Chinese interference in Canada’s past two federal elections, says Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

Trudeau made the comments at a press conference in Bonavista-Burin-Trinity, Newfoundland and Labrador, during which he was joined by the province’s premier, Andrew Furey.

Reporters questioned Trudeau about ongoing investigations into election interference carried out by the Chinese regime, the occurrence of which the prime minister has previously acknowledged but said did not impact election outcomes.

“Canadians are right to be extremely concerned about the interference by China in our institutions, in our democracy, and in our elections,” Trudeau told reporters on March 15, adding that the federal government has already put in place “mechanisms” that he says ensure the interference does not influence Canadian elections.

A reporter also asked the prime minister about his party’s blocking of opposition motions on a House of Commons committee to have Trudeau’s Chief of Staff Katie Telford testify before the committee.

Trudeau responded by saying some politicians “think that the best way to solve this very serious problem ... is by amping up the level of partisanship.”

“What Canadians want are true answers and not political games, and that’s exactly what we’re delivering,” he said in French.

Vote Delay

Despite majority support to have Telford testify from all Conservative, Bloc Québécois, and NDP members on the Commons Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs, Liberal MPs on the committee delayed a vote call on the motion for almost an entire day on March 14.

On the same day, Conservative Party Leader Pierre Poilievre said Trudeau has “inspired a lot of suspicion by his refusal to … answer questions about his knowledge of Beijing’s interference to help him in two successive elections.”

Poilievre added that it’s “an accepted fact” that leaked intelligence documents point toward Beijing working to elect Trudeau.

All opposition parties have also called on the prime minister to initiate a public inquiry into foreign election interference, but Trudeau has refused, instead appointing a special rapporteur for the issue.

Bloc Québécois Leader Yves-François Blanchet wrote a letter to Trudeau on March 14 that was made public, again calling on the prime minister to initiate a public inquiry, saying it’s the only way to build back public trust in the federal government.

“It’s not the rapporteur’s job to determine whether there should be an investigation,” Blanchet wrote.

Noé Chartier contributed to this report.