Under mounting pressure, the Canadian government agreed on Monday to refer allegations of legislators acting as agents for foreign nations to a special inquiry. This follows a parliamentary security committee’s report that some officials were involved in foreign interference, including leaking secrets.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government maintains that revealing names would be illegal and insists it’s a matter for police investigation. Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc supported the independent inquiry, already investigating foreign interference, as the appropriate body to handle the sensitive information.
Opposition legislators, particularly the Conservatives, criticize Trudeau for a lax security stance. Jasraj Singh Hallan condemned those aiding hostile foreign regimes. The committee highlighted India and China as significant threats to Canada’s democracy, citing evidence of interference in recent elections without affecting results. Beijing denies these allegations.