Political Memberships Should be Purchased Through Canadian Institutions, Election Chief Tells Foreign Interference Inquiry

Elections Canada Chief Electoral Officer Stephane Perrault responds to questions from counsel as he appears at the Public Inquiry Into Foreign Interference in Federal Electoral Processes and Democratic Institutions, in Ottawa, on March 28, 2024. Adrian Wyld/The Canadian Press

Canada’s chief electoral officer says that a requirement should be added for the buying of political memberships to vote in nomination contests, such as ensuring the purchase is made through a Canadian credit card or bank account.

“I will note that I have made recommendations to Parliament in that respect,” Stéphane Perrault said to a counsel at the Foreign Interference Commission on March 28.

The public inquiry into foreign interference was formed after pressure by opposition parties to look into reports of Beijing’s interference in Canada’s elections.

Media reports, citing intelligence sources, have said that Beijing has funded candidates in Canada’s elections, and has taken steps to sideline those whose positions don’t favour the communist regime.

‘No Rules’

During his testimony, Mr. Perrault was asked many questions from counsels representing different parties at the inquiry about the nomination of former Liberal MP Han Dong in the Ontario riding of Don Valley North in 2019.

Mr. Dong quit the Liberal caucus in March 2023 following the publications of other allegations by Global News linking him to the Chinese consulate and interference activities. He has denied the allegations and has sued the news organization for defamation.

Global News first reported in February 2023, citing a leaked CSIS report, that international Chinese students had been bussed into the Don Valley North riding and coerced by the Chinese consulate to vote for Mr. Dong during the 2019 nomination vote.

Such reports, depicting widespread interference by Beijing, have spurred the ongoing public inquiry.

Before the inquiry was launched, former Special Rapporteur on Foreign Interference David Johnston had looked into the Han Dong nomination allegations and confirmed some of the intelligence.

“There is well-grounded suspicion that the irregularities were tied to the [Chinese] Consulate in Toronto, with whom Dong maintains relationships,” Mr. Johnston wrote in his may 2023 report, before resigning from the role due to pressure from opposition parties concerned about potential conflict-of-interest issues.

The report also said Prime Minister Justin Trudeau had been briefed on the matter but chose to leave Mr. Dong in place.

Mr. Dong has full standing at the public inquiry and is set to testify next week. He has not returned past requests by Epoch Times for comment.

During his testimony, Mr. Perrault said his organization is powerless to act on nomination processes, with its reach being limited to conducting financial audits of the nomination contests after the fact. Even then Elections Canada is limited in its review by what the political parties provide.

“Beyond some restrictions around the financing, we have no rules and there are no rules in the act regarding the manner in which and who participates in nomination contests,” said Mr. Perrault.

With regards to broader reform, Mr. Perrault said says he broached the topic with political parties but reported there is “no appetite” to add further regulations to the nomination process.

‘Fact Situation’

Asked to review a summary of his witness interview with the Foreign Interference Commission, Mr. Perrault asked to make two modifications in relation to the nomination.

The summary presented to Mr. Perrault read: “Mr. Perrault explained that, during the 2019 federal election, he discussed with the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (‘CSIS’) allegations of irregularities related to voting in the nomination contest in the riding of Don Valley North, Ontario.”

While not stated in the summary nor mentioned during Mr. Perrault’s testimony, the 2019 event refers to MP Han Dong’s nomination contest with the Liberal Party.

Mr. Perrault asked that “allegations of irregularities” be replaced by “fact situation which could involve foreign interference.” He also said that contrary to the document’s original wording he had not “discussed” the matter with CSIS, but rather was informed by CSIS in an unsolicited manner.

Mr. Perrault explained he made the change because irregularities connotes a violation of the rules under the act.

“My corrected version does not necessarily have that connotation,” he said.

The interview summary further states that Mr. Perrault had determined that “no action could be taken” with regards to the “fact situation” in the Don Valley North nomination contest. This is because nomination contests are run by parties and ridings associations and fall outside the remit of the Elections Act.

Integrity Upheld

Mr. Perrault said that within the limits of his mandate, and with all the information he’s aware of, he assessed there were no integrity issues with the 2019 and 2021 elections.

He said he doesn’t have the means to speculate on factors which could have influenced the results, but with the administration of the electoral process, including the vote counting, there was conformity with the law and a “high level of integrity.”

Mr. Perrault said his role is not to certify the elections, but rather to provide an informal general assessment.

Advocacy group Democracy Watch, which has intervener status in the inquiry, has questioned the effectiveness and independence of the chief electoral officer’s role, which is appointed by the government.

Democracy Watch also says that legislative loopholes are such in Canada that “secret, unethical foreign interference and misinformation activities” are legal.

“So no watchdog is even monitoring the activities, which makes it impossible to determine the extent of interference in the 2019 and 2021 elections, or before or after those elections up to now, or to stop the interference,” says the organization in a March 28 statement.