麻豆影视

Politics

    • 'Democracy requires constant vigilance' Trudeau testifies at inquiry into foreign election interference in Canada

    Share

    Prime Minister Justin Trudeau testified before the national public inquiry into foreign interference in Canada's electoral processes on Wednesday.

    Recap 麻豆影视' live updates from our parliamentary bureau.

    Here's the full report stemming from Wednesday's testimony.

     

    Trudeau 'expressed frustration' about 'sensationalized' leaks of intelligence

    OTTAWA -- Prime Minister Justin Trudeau expressed frustration to a federal inquiry into foreign interference that intelligence leaked to the media had been "sensationalized" and taken out of context.

    In a classified February interview with the commission of inquiry, Trudeau said it was extremely damaging to the confidence of Canadians in the democratic process.

    A public summary of the interview was disclosed Wednesday at the inquiry, where Trudeau testified at an open hearing.

    The summary says Trudeau observed that the leaks were "particularly frustrating" because the Liberal government had put in place robust mechanisms to detect and combat interference, yet it was "painted as negligent in the media."

    "PM Trudeau also considered that the leaks illustrate the dangers of drawing conclusions based on a single piece of intelligence, without sufficient context, and without any analysis of its reliability."

    Allegations of foreign interference in the last two general elections -- suggestions fuelled by anonymous leaks to the media -- led to a chorus of calls for the public inquiry.

    During the hearing Wednesday, Trudeau spoke of the "explosive nature of the media stories, stemming from unsubstantiated and uncorroborated intelligence shared by a leaker."

    "There are also things that were flat-out wrong."

    Trudeau said the leaks were of "deep concern" because the government could not correct the record, in some cases, without revealing the tradecraft Canadian security agencies use to keep citizens and their institutions safe.

    "If we say certain things, or if we contradict or deny other things, we could be giving our adversaries tools to actually understand how we go about detecting their interference."

    One of the leaks involved allegations against MP Han Dong, who left the Liberal caucus last year after a media report suggested he told a Chinese consular official to delay the release of Canadians Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor in 2021.

    Dong denied the allegation, which the prime minister only learned about in the media.

    Trudeau said categorically Wednesday he believes the allegation is untrue, but couldn't elaborate as to why, citing a need for confidentiality and national security concerns.

    "There have been significant questions around both translation and summary of the actual exchange," he said.

    Trudeau's appearance followed several days of testimony from members of his cabinet, political party representatives, senior bureaucrats and intelligence officials.

    At the hearing, the prime minister listed measures his government had taken to address foreign interference since assuming power in 2015.

    Under a protocol ushered in by the Liberals, there would be a public announcement if a panel of bureaucrats determined that an incident -- or an accumulation of incidents -- threatened Canada's ability to have a free and fair election.

    There was no such announcement concerning either the 2019 or 2021 general elections. In both ballots, the Liberals were returned to government with minority mandates while the Conservatives formed the official Opposition.

    The inquiry has already heard that China and other state actors attempted to interfere, but there has been little evidence so far to indicate whether or not they were successful.

    The former minister of democratic institutions said she was told after the October 2019 federal election that Canada's spy agency had seen low-level foreign interference activities by China.

    Karina Gould, who held the portfolio from early 2017 to November 2019, said in a classified interview last month that the Canadian Security Intelligence Service indicated the activities were similar to what had been seen in the past.

    "That foreign interference did not affect Canadians' ability to have a free and fair election," says a public summary of Gould's interview.

    Liberal member of Parliament Karina Gould appears as a witness at the Public Inquiry Into Foreign Interference in Federal Electoral Processes and Democratic Institutions in Ottawa on Wednesday, April 10, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick

    Gould, now government House leader in the Commons, is on parental leave.

    As democratic institutions minister, she oversaw design of the protocol for making a public announcement about electoral meddling.

    She told the inquiry Wednesday that if Canadians are to be informed "that a foreign actor has interfered in our election, the threshold needs to be high."

    Before any public announcement from the panel, "they need to be certain that this is something of significant enough value" to the national interest that it be made public, she said.

    Gould said the process was designed to allow for a public announcement due to meddling at a national level or "something that's happening in one, singular riding."

    "It could be either," she said. "Canada doesn't have one national election, we have 338 individual elections that make up an electoral event. And so everything is context-specific."

    Dominic LeBlanc succeeded Gould as the cabinet minister responsible for democratic institutions after the Liberals returned to power in 2019.

    He was asked to review how the measures she implemented worked in practice.

    In that role, LeBlanc rarely received classified intelligence, but he said Wednesday he was given a "sufficiently precise" understanding of the "threat landscape" by the Privy Council Office, which worked with the national security agencies.

    "I had every confidence that I had all the information I needed," he told the inquiry.

    A screen displays the dictation of Defence Minister Bill Blair's answer as he appears as a witness during the Public Inquiry Into Foreign Interference in Federal Electoral Processes and Democratic Institutions in Ottawa on Wednesday, April 10, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick

    In his view, the plan Gould put in place worked.

    Gould wasn't briefed on irregularities in the 2019 nomination race in the Toronto riding of Don Valley North, where Dong was named Liberal nominee. She told the commission it was outside her purview as democratic institutions minister.

    Bill Blair was told about the irregularities after the election in his role as public safety minister at the time, but Blair said in a classified interview with the commission that he "was not concerned."

    During the public hearings Wednesday, Blair said security officials had no additional supporting information. "They indicated to me that they did not, at that time, have other corroborating evidence in any way to substantiate that."

    Blair, now defence minister, also told the inquiry CSIS did not indicate that Dong had any knowledge of the irregularities. He trusted the spy agency to take the appropriate action, he said.

    Trudeau recalled receiving a briefing about Dong's nomination race from the Liberal campaign director in an Ottawa airport lounge during the 2019 election campaign.

    Trudeau said he asked several questions about whether the allegations were substantiated, and whether any complaints were made during the nomination process. He was left with a choice: allow Dong to continue as the Liberal candidate or remove him.

    "I didn't feel that there was sufficient, or sufficiently credible, information that would justify this very significant step ... to remove a candidate in these circumstances," Trudeau told the commission.

    He noted that as Liberal leader he has previously made the choice to remove candidates in other circumstances.

    Late Wednesday, a parliamentary committee released a lengthy final report after digging into allegations of foreign threats against MPs.

    The committee concluded that China took aim at Canada's democracy with threats aimed at all MPs. It found that a Chinese diplomat who was expelled over allegations of involvement in an intimidation campaign against Tory MP Michael Chong should be held in contempt of Parliament.

    The report includes 29 recommendations, including that the House of Commons do a better job briefing parliamentarians about threats and that CSIS undertake "culture change" to ensure more effective and clearer communication.

    Committee members also seek efforts to better declassify and track intelligence, urgent legislation to establish a foreign agent registry, improved briefings for election officials and a "thorough national security review."

    A supplementary report from the Conservatives accuses Liberals on the committee of trying to protect Trudeau from political embarrassment and preventing a complete investigation.

    This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 10, 2024.

    IN DEPTH

    Opinion

    opinion

    opinion Don Martin: How a beer break may have doomed the carbon tax hike

    When the Liberal government chopped a planned beer excise tax hike to two per cent from 4.5 per cent and froze future increases until after the next election, says political columnist Don Martin, it almost guaranteed a similar carbon tax move in the offing.

    CTVNews.ca Top Stories

    Why brain aging can vary dramatically between people

    Researchers are uncovering deeper insights into how the human brain ages and what factors may be tied to healthier cognitive aging, including exercising, avoiding tobacco, speaking a second language or even playing a musical instrument.

    The union representing some 1,200 dockworkers at the Port of Montreal has overwhelmingly rejected a deal with their employers association.

    A man who was critically injured in a police-involved shooting in Hamilton late Sunday afternoon has died in hospital, says the province鈥檚 police watchdog.

    opinion

    opinion How to transition from renting to owning a home in Canada

    In his column for CTVNews.ca, personal finance contributor Christopher Liew offers a step-by-step guide on how to make the shift from renting to becoming a homeowner, and what you can start doing today to help the process go smoother.

    Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced voters in Cloverdale鈥擫angley City will pick their next member of Parliament on Dec. 16.

    Canada

    • The union representing some 1,200 dockworkers at the Port of Montreal has overwhelmingly rejected a deal with their employers association.

    • A man who was critically injured in a police-involved shooting in Hamilton late Sunday afternoon has died in hospital, says the province鈥檚 police watchdog.

    • Nova Scotia's New Democratic Party says a candidate criticized by the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs for "troubling" and "damaging" social media posts is no longer running for the party in the Nov. 26 general election.

    World

    Politics

    • Murray Sinclair鈥檚 family members say the late justice and senator has been laid to rest according to his wishes.

    • Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced voters in Cloverdale鈥擫angley City will pick their next member of Parliament on Dec. 16.

    Health

    • Why brain aging can vary dramatically between people

      Researchers are uncovering deeper insights into how the human brain ages and what factors may be tied to healthier cognitive aging, including exercising, avoiding tobacco, speaking a second language or even playing a musical instrument.

    • Researchers say taking a peek inside a person's brain is as difficult as understanding the universe or discovering the ocean in its entirety.

    Sci-Tech

    Entertainment

    Business

    Lifestyle

    Sports

    Autos

    Local Spotlight

    For the second year in a row, the 鈥楪ift-a-Family鈥 campaign is hoping to make the holidays happier for children and families in need throughout Barrie.

    Some of the most prolific photographers behind CTV Skywatch Pics of the Day use the medium for fun, therapy, and connection.

    A young family from Codroy Valley, N.L., is happy to be on land and resting with their newborn daughter, Miley, after an overwhelming, yet exciting experience at sea.

    As Connor Nijsse prepared to remove some old drywall during his garage renovation, he feared the worst.

    A group of women in Chester, N.S., has been busy on the weekends making quilts 鈥 not for themselves, but for those in need.

    A Vancouver artist whose streetside singing led to a chance encounter with one of the world's biggest musicians is encouraging aspiring performers to try their hand at busking.

    Ten-thousand hand-knit poppies were taken from the Sanctuary Arts Centre and displayed on the fence surrounding the Dartmouth Cenotaph on Monday.

    A Vancouver man is saying goodbye to his nine-to-five and embarking on a road trip from the Canadian Arctic to Antarctica.

    • Weather watchers were treated to an exceptionally rare display on Friday evening as rare cloud formations filled Vancouver skies.

    • For some shoppers it was Nov. 1, but for others the first hints of Christmas - saccharine treats, festive-fragranced candles and gaudily wrapped gift sets - were being noticed in stores long before the final Halloween decor had been cleared.

    • Thousands of people are expected to gather in downtown Vancouver on Monday to observe the city鈥檚 100th Remembrance Day ceremony.

    • A man who was critically injured in a police-involved shooting in Hamilton late Sunday afternoon has died in hospital, says the province鈥檚 police watchdog.

    • Toronto is expected to see an economic boost to the tune of nearly $300 million thanks to Taylor Swift鈥檚 upcoming Eras Tour, which will be making a stop in Canada鈥檚 largest city for a six-show run later this month.

    • A man is wanted after allegedly presenting himself as a rideshare driver then sexually assaulting a woman from Brampton late last week, say police.

    • A pair of 105-mm howitzers bark constantly as they turn plywood tank targets into kindling kilometres away on the windswept landscape of one of Canada's largest military bases.

    • Two semis were among the vehicles involved in a multi-vehicle crash that brought westbound traffic along Stoney Trail Northwest to a standstill on Sunday.

    • More than 700 people danced, ate, and sang to celebrate Diwali Saturday night at the Genesis Centre in northeast Calgary.

    • NEW THIS MORNING

      NEW THIS MORNING

      An Ottawa boy with a rare disease will be getting the chance to see Taylor Swift in concert after the winner and organizers of an auction held on his behalf gifted the tickets to him.

    • CTVNewsOttawa.ca looks at Remembrance Day ceremonies in Ottawa.

    • After months of controversy surrounding a dog park in Ottawa's west end, a solution has been reached to divide the park in half.

    • A First Nation near Quebec City says the provincial government and Quebec鈥檚 hydro utility have ignored their constitutional duty to consult about four planned wind projects south of the Saint Lawrence River.

    • The union representing some 1,200 dockworkers at the Port of Montreal has overwhelmingly rejected a deal with their employers association.

    • With fewer interments and rising maintenance fees, the money for Canada's largest military cemetery will run out in three to four years.

    • Monday is Remembrance Day, a time to honour armed forces members who have died in the line of duty.

    • Boasting 2,300 square metres of skating space at its new location, Edmonton's Rollers Roller Rink believes it is the largest in Canada.

    • A woman is dead after a driver crashed a truck through a Boston Pizza in Fort McMurray late Saturday morning.

    • Here鈥檚 what鈥檚 opened and closed across the Maritimes on Remembrance Day.

    • As Nova Scotia politicians make their fall election promises, Julie Leggett is urging them to commit to helping people on income assistance stay cool during heat waves.

    • A pillar in Canada鈥檚 history was honoured in Winnipeg Sunday afternoon, with thousands showing up to pay tribute to the life and legacy of the late Murray Sinclair.

    • Winnipeg police have identified two men involved in a stabbing incident earlier this week.

    • The Winnipeg Blue Bombers whipped the Saskatchewan Roughriders 38-22 in Saturday's CFL West Division final to earn their fifth consecutive trip to the Grey Cup.

    • Regina author Valerie Crowther is celebrating the release of her book 鈥榃ar Letters: Linking Lives in the Second World War.鈥

    • It was a somber day at Mosaic Stadium as members of the Saskatchewan Roughriders officially cleaned out their stalls and closed the book on the 2024 season.

    • Twilight Tech Arcade, an entertainment location specializing in retro gaming, is closing its doors for the foreseeable future.

    • A man has been charged after a stabbing at an apartment building in Kitchener.

    • The Guelph Police Service is putting out a warning after two deaths in the downtown area.

    • Two new tributes to Canada鈥檚 veterans have been unveiled at the Elmira Cenotaph.

    • Saskatchewan RCMP are searching for a suspect after a man was seriously injured in a farm-related incident in Montreal Lake.

    • It was a somber day at Mosaic Stadium as members of the Saskatchewan Roughriders officially cleaned out their stalls and closed the book on the 2024 season.

    • The Regina Rams claimed the Hardy Cup after a hard fought battle against the Saskatoon Huskies 19-14 on Saturday in the first all Saskatchewan U-Sports western conference final since 2002.

    • CTVNewsNorthernOntario.ca is livestreaming the annual Remembrance Day ceremony at the Sudbury Community Arena starting Monday at 10:30 a.m.

    • Police have arrested a 15-year-old in connection with a break-in and $50,000 in damage done to the Centennial Arena in Elliot Lake in September.

    • The events will start at 10:15 a.m. with a parade that forms up in front of the Delta London Armories, marches east on Dundas Street and turns north onto Waterloo Street to Dufferin Avenue, the west to the Cenotaph.

    • Emergency crews responded to the scene on Road 68/Highway 2 east of Thamesford around 7 p.m.

    • On Friday, the Sarnia Police Service (SPS) received a report of an alleged abduction in the area of Kathleen Avenue and Walnut Avenue.

    • A group of former NHL players faced off against York Regional Police officers in Newmarket Sunday afternoon to raise funds for Special Olympics programs across the province.

    • A driver is facing multiple charges after a multi-vehicle collision on Highway 400 early Sunday morning.

    • The agreed statement of facts was read to the court on Friday in the case of Alex Williams, the 24-year-old jail guard charged last fall with smuggling cannabis and tobacco into Central North Correctional Centre in Penetanguishene.

    • For Gene Lotz, the spark of curiosity to delve into the history of those who served in war only began when the answers became difficult to find.

    • A Tilbury race car driver and his team are partnering with St. Clair College to give students a chance to see their design circle a racetrack. Driver Nathaniel Greenaway said the competition challenged third-year graphic design students to draft a wrap for his car ahead of next season.

    • One person has been arrested after Chatham-Kent Police Service (CKPS) received multiple complaints about an alleged drunk driver.

    • Environment Canada says heavy rain and winds could cause power outages on Vancouver Island as an "intense" storm system is set to hit the B.C. coast Sunday.

    • Six deer were struck by vehicles in six different locations in a six-hour period on B.C. highways on Saturday, according to the transportation ministry.

    • The union for locked-out port workers in British Columbia says the BC Maritime Employers Association cut off talks in less than an hour Saturday, refusing to budge on a final offer that the union has so far rejected.

    • The emergency department at South Okanagan General Hospital in Oliver, B.C., will be closed for 31 hours this weekend, the second such closure in a week and the third since the start of November.

    • Police in Kamloops, B.C., are reminding parents and guardians to check their children's Halloween candy after receiving a report of a mother finding a razor blade in one of her daughter's treats.

    • More than two years after Alannah Brown and Douglas Barker were found dead north of Penticton, police are asking for help identifying a vehicle they believe was associated with the crime.

    • The Southern Alberta Recreation Association is officially announcing the Town of Taber as next year鈥檚 host for the Southern Alberta Summer Games.

    • The Lethbridge Hurricanes broke open a close game with three goals in the first two minutes of the third period as they defeated the Warriors 7-3 in a game played Friday night in Moose Jaw.

    • There might not a lot snow just yet, but many southern Albertans are still itching to get outdoors.

    • Police have arrested a 15-year-old in connection with a break-in and $50,000 in damage done to the Centennial Arena in Elliot Lake in September.

    • Mayors of the five largest cities in northern Ontario met in North Bay the last two days to discuss a range of critical issues impacting their cities and the region.

    • Residents in the Sault expressed concerns ranging from vandalism to privacy invasions during recent consultations on the city's plan to install automated speed enforcement cameras.

    N.L.

    Stay Connected
    Follow 麻豆影视