Poilievre Says He'd Release Names of Lawmakers Involved in Foreign Interference as PM

Conservative Party leader Pierre Poilievre rises during question period in the House of Commons on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Dec. 13, 2023. The Canadian Press/Sean Kilpatrick

A Conservative government under leader Pierre Poilievre would expose parliamentarians who have been knowingly colluding with foreign states, his office says.

Spokesperson Sebastian Skamski told The Epoch Times in a statement that if elected, Poilievre would have the names released “for those who are deemed to have knowingly participated in foreign interference.”

“Justin Trudeau should release the names if he has nothing to hide,” Skamski added.

Conservatives have called on the Liberal government to release the names of implicated lawmakers for some time. Liberals say releasing the names would breach national security and deprive the named individuals of due process.

The issue stems from a June 3 report from the National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians (NSICOP). The report, based on government intelligence, concluded that some lawmakers and party candidates have been “semi-witting or witting participants in the efforts of foreign states to interfere in our politics.”

Clamour over the alleged collusion of lawmakers died down after the House of Commons voted to refer the matter to the Foreign Interference Commission for review on June 11. The commission said in mid-September it would not release the names, citing national security and procedural fairness.

Controversy about the names of implicated lawmakers resurfaced during the last day of public hearings at the commission on Oct. 16 when Prime Minister Justin Trudeau testified.

While being asked by a commission counsel how he reacts when he receives information on foreign interference about other political parties, Trudeau singled out the Conservatives as being impacted by foreign interference.

“I have the names of a number of parliamentarians, former parliamentarians, and or candidates in the Conservative Party of Canada who are engaged or at high risk of, or for whom there is clear intelligence around foreign interference,” Trudeau said.

This comment prompted Poilievre to accuse Trudeau of “lying,” and repeated his call for Trudeau to release the names.

Later during his testimony while being cross-examined, Trudeau said he knew the names of lawmakers in other parties, including his own, at risk of being compromised by foreign interference.

No ‘Traitors’

Trudeau made his comments shortly after the country’s two top security officials downplayed the NSICOP report during their testimonies before the commission, casting doubts about lawmakers being involved in foreign collusion.

“The information we have, and that you have as well—and that was used by NSICOP—does not allow me to come to the conclusion there are traitors in Parliament,” National Security and Intelligence Advisor Nathalie Drouin told Commissioner Marie-Josée Hogue on Oct. 9.

Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc told the commission on Oct. 15 the NSICOP report had fuelled a “grossly exaggerated” impression about parliamentarians’ loyalty issues.

“I share the view shared by other senior public servants here, that people serve in Parliament honourably,” he said.

The Epoch Times contacted LeBlanc’s office for comment on Poilievre’s pledge to release the names of colluders but did not receive a response by publication time.

Poilievre remains the only party leader to refuse to obtain a security clearance that would allow him to receive a briefing on the matter, saying doing so would prevent him from speaking freely on foreign interference issues. Poilievre also said he wouldn’t be able to act on the classified information being provided.

The newly appointed director of the Canadian Security Intelligence Service, Daniel Rogers, said his agency favours party leaders obtaining a clearance to get fully briefed.

“From our perspective, the more knowledgeable that party leaders are about the threat of foreign interference and some of the specifics that we’ve seen through our intelligence, the more they can be aware and the more they may be able to take actions appropriate within their own parties,” Rogers told the House of Commons public safety committee on Oct. 29.