Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau revealed during a testimony that China tried to meddle in the Canadian election process in both 2019 and 2021. Despite the alleged interference, Trudeau emphasized that the elections were fair and decisions were made by Canadians themselves.
Trudeau’s statement came before a commission that was established to investigate foreign interference in Canadian polls after media reports surfaced about China’s involvement. The Chinese Embassy in Canada, however, has denied any interference in the country’s affairs.
The commission is expected to release its initial report by May 3 and a final report by the end of 2024, as reported by The Guardian. Previously, there were accusations of India meddling in Canadian elections, but those allegations were dismissed by Canada.
According to the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS), China has been involved in “clandestine and deceptive” interference in both the 2019 and 2021 elections. The CSIS made this revelation during a briefing to the commission.
Trudeau’s Liberal Party emerged victorious in both the 2019 and 2021 elections. The lead campaigner for the Conservatives in the 2021 election, Erin O’Toole, claimed that Chinese interference may have cost his party up to nine seats. The investigation into foreign interference in Canadian elections continues.
