Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly insists there are no 鈥渢raitors鈥� in the Liberal caucus, after a report from the National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians (NSICOP) alleged there are MPs and senators who are 鈥渟emi-witting or witting participants鈥� in foreign interference efforts.
鈥淟isten, if that was the case, they would be out of the Liberal caucus, and they should be out of every single party,鈥� Joly told CTV Question Period host Vassy Kapelos in an interview airing Sunday.
NSICOP first released a redacted version of its report nearly two weeks ago, and suspicion on who those parliamentarians may be has dominated debate on Parliament Hill ever since.
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh 鈥� who received the security clearance to get access to the full classified report this week 鈥� concluded 鈥渢here are a number of MPs who have knowingly provided help to foreign governments.鈥� Singh did not, however, provide details about the number of MPs implicated but said no NDP MPs are among them.
鈥淲hat they鈥檙e doing is unethical,鈥� he told reporters on Thursday. 鈥淚t is in some cases against the law, and they are indeed traitors to the country.鈥�
When asked multiple times by Kapelos about Singh鈥檚 assertion there are 鈥渢raitors鈥� in Parliament, Joly didn鈥檛 directly answer but insisted it鈥檚 important not to make the issue partisan.
鈥淲hen I hear these loaded words, I feel that it's really hurting our democracy,鈥� she said. 鈥淏ecause fundamentally, foreign interference is a real thing. It has been happening for years now. It鈥檚 more of an issue because of disinformation, misinformation online, but all democracies in the world are facing this.鈥�
Speaking to reporters at the end of the G7 summit in Italy on Saturday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau did not go as far as Joly, and would not answer repeated questions about whether any current Liberal MPs were named in the NSICOP report.
鈥淭he issue of foreign interference is one that this government has taken extremely seriously,鈥� Trudeau said in response to a question about his own members of Parliament.
Trudeau also called into question the findings of the NSICOP report, but would not elaborate on the specifics of those concerns.
鈥淲e made clear some concerns we had with the way that NSICOP did, drew conclusions,鈥� he said on Saturday. 鈥淚 think that is an important part of the process.鈥�
Trudeau received the un-redacted version of the report back in March, and has faced criticism from opposition parties for not taking more action sooner.
The NSICOP report also called the Liberal government's response to the known threat of foreign interference "a serious failure and one from which Canada may feel the consequences for years to come."
One example cited in the report involves Conservative MP Michael Chong.
In May of 2023, The Globe and Mail reported that Chinese diplomat Zhao Wei had targeted Chong and his family after he sponsored a parliamentary motion condemning Beijing鈥檚 treatment of the Uyghurs in 2021. The newspaper obtained the information from a leaked 2021 CSIS assessment that was shared with relevant government departments, including Global Affairs Canada (GAC)..
Joly told Kapelos she also first learned of the meddling allegation, and that Chong had been targeted, in the media.
鈥淚 was clear, and that's my story, and I stick to it,鈥� Joly said.
鈥淭hat being said, following that, we took many measures, because of course, we need to make sure if there is any meddling within our democracy or any form of covert operations by foreign countries in Canada, we need, and I need, to be aware,鈥� she added. 鈥淎nd of course I'll take actions.鈥�
After the Chong story surfaced, Zhao was expelled from Canada and declared 鈥減ersona non grata.鈥�
The NSCICOP report, however, detailed multiple attempts by CSIS to inform Joly鈥檚 department, GAC, of Zhao鈥檚 activities, over a number of years. Joly said those intelligence briefings never made their way to her.
When pressed again by Kapelos, based on that, over whether the federal government has taken foreign interference seriously enough, Joly said Canada is the only country to have a public inquiry into the issue.
鈥淲hat I can tell you is we've been very forward leaning,鈥� she said. 鈥淗ave we done enough? No. Clearly, that's why you're asking me questions. That鈥檚 why people are preoccupied.鈥�
鈥淲ill we do more? Of course,鈥� she added. 鈥淎nd we just presented legislation on this issue.鈥�
Justice Marie-Josée Hogue is currently leading the public inquiry into foreign interference. Hogue delivered her first interim report in May, and a final report is expected at the end of the year.
Earlier this week, the Liberals supported a Bloc Québecois motion to expand the foreign interference commissioner鈥檚 mandate to include the NSICOP report allegations, though the motion is non-binding, and any decision on whether to include the report in her probe is up to Hogue.
In a statement, Hogue鈥檚 office said 鈥渟he will soon issue a notice to the public regarding the parameters of the Commission鈥檚 mandate and the next stage of its work.鈥�
With files from CTV National News Parliamentary reporter Annie Bergeron-Oliver
