National Security and Intelligence Advisor Jody Thomas gave her perspective on June 1 as to why intelligence about threats to MPs was not briefed to any relevant minister. Thomas, who wasn’t in her current role at the time, told the House of Commons Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs that a “breakdown in process”…

Emergency Preparedness Minister Bill Blair says Canada’s spy agency is responsible for not briefing him on Chinese regime threats to MPs in 2021. Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) Director David Vigneault, “determined this was not information that the minister needed to know, and so I was never notified of the existence of that intelligence, nor…

Former Conservative leader Erin O’Toole told the House of Commons on May 30 that the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) informed him that he and his party were targeted by Beijing in a voter suppression and misinformation campaign during the 2021 federal election. “The briefing from CSIS confirmed to me what I suspected for quite…

Special Rapporteur David Johnston says the Liberal government didn’t negligently fail to act on intelligence regarding the threat of foreign interference, but he highlighted problems surrounding the dissemination of intelligence within the state machinery. “There are serious shortcomings in the way intelligence is communicated and processed from security agencies through to government,” he wrote in…

Opposition MPs are calling on Emergency Preparedness Minister Bill Blair to appear at committee at the “earliest possible opportunity” over a new report alleging he took months to approve surveillance measures against an important Liberal Party figure in Toronto. “Canadians need to know why it took so long for the Minister to sign off on…

Liberal and NDP MPs have raised concerns about a new motion tabled by Conservatives in committee seeking to produce documents related to threats by foreign actors faced by elected officials, saying it could draw unwanted attention to them. Conservative MP Michael Cooper tabled a new motion on May 18 in the House of Commons Standing…

Liberal and NDP MPs have raised concerns about a new motion tabled by Conservatives in committee seeking documents related to threats by foreign actors faced by elected officials, saying it could draw unwanted attention to them. Conservative MP Michael Cooper tabled a new motion on May 18 in the House of Commons Standing Committee for…

Conservative MP Michael Chong told a parliamentary committee he has received multiple personal threats in recent years—in addition to those directed against his family overseas—that he believes were orchestrated by Beijing. Chong told the House of Commons Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs (PROC) on May 16 that he did not want to elaborate…

Canada’s spy agency has now been formally directed to investigate and disclose any foreign threats against parliamentarians or their families, Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino said Tuesday, while the Conservative MP targeted by Beijing urged his colleagues to go further. Conservative MP Michael Chong was invited to testify before the House affairs committee on Tuesday…

Commentary The Liberal government finally expelled Chinese consulate official Zhao Wei last week when it became virtually impossible not to. With mounting evidence that Zhao had put the family of Conservative MP Michael Chong under surveillance in Hong Kong, even Prime Minister Justin Trudeau understood he needed to do something to indicate Canada’s official diplomatic…