A Canadian investigative report has said that India and China tried to interfere in the country’s elections but failed. India has denied the allegations.
The investigation confirmed attempts to interfere in the 2019 and 2021 federal elections. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Liberal Party won both elections. The report said that countries such as China and India tried to interfere using new and highly systematic strategies. The interference did not change the election results, but it did damage public trust in democracy.
“Canada’s democratic institutions are strong and can withstand foreign interference,” said Commissioner Marie-Hose Hogg, who is leading the investigation. “But disinformation is a big problem. It is increasingly difficult to identify and its consequences can be very damaging.”
The report described China as “the most active perpetrator of foreign interference.” India was the second-largest interfering country.
China rejected the report’s findings, calling them “baseless allegations.” The Chinese embassy in Ottawa said, “China has always adhered to a policy of non-interference and has never interfered in Canada’s internal affairs, nor is it interested in doing so.” China also accused Canada of interfering in its internal affairs.
India has strongly rejected these allegations and instead accused Canada of “persistent interference” in India’s internal affairs.
A statement issued by India’s Ministry of External Affairs said, “We have seen a report about alleged interference activities. In fact, it is Canada that is continuously interfering in the internal affairs of India. This is increasing illegal migration and organized terrorism.” “A climate for criminal activity has been created. We completely reject the allegations levelled at India in this report and hope that the facilitation mechanisms that encourage illegal migration are not further encouraged.
The Sikh community has become a significant focal point in the growing tensions between Canada and India, as reports of foreign interference continue to emerge. These tensions are particularly linked to the murder of Bhai Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Surrey, British Columbia in June 2023. Bhai Nijjar was a prominent Sikh Khalistani activist and Canadian citizen, for whose murder the Canadian government and the RCMP have blamed Indian government agencies. The incident raised serious concerns about the safety of the Sikh immigrant community settled in Canada.
The Sikh community in Canada is politically active and influential, and their contribution has been significant in both the country’s politics and foreign policy. However, their advocacy on issues such as Khalistan has been a point of contention in India-Canada relations. The rift has become a major bone of contention, with relations between the two countries further complicated by accusations of interference and counter-accusations.
Questions on the government
The inquiry also raised questions about the response of Canada’s Liberal government. The report said that while the government took steps to detect and prevent foreign interference, their pace was slow and lacked balance.
“The government failed to bring transparency in its handling of foreign interference. It should have been more open with the public about the level of interference and the steps taken to counter it,” the report said.
The report, divided into seven parts, makes 51 recommendations. About half of these are recommended for implementation before the next election.
These include creating a comprehensive strategy to prevent the threat of foreign interference. In addition, the creation of a new agency to monitor online fake information and propaganda, making the process of selecting candidates and leaders for political parties transparent and robust, improving the way intelligence agencies share information with the government, encouraging political party leaders to obtain information. Top-secret security clearances, etc. are included.
The investigation has emphasized the security of immigrant communities, which are often sought after by foreign powers.
The report comes at a time when Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced his resignation on January 6. The Liberal Party will elect a new leader on March 9. However, opposition parties have threatened to bring a no-confidence motion against the government. If that happens, the country could soon hold new elections.
Last year, Canada’s intelligence agency concluded that China interfered in the 2019 and 2021 elections. Beijing has repeatedly denied these allegations.
The report also highlights the fact that political parties try to influence the selection of candidates. “Canada has strict electoral rules, but the report does not focus much on how foreign governments can interfere in the selection of political parties’ candidates,” said expert Ronald O’Young.
According to the report, the Canadian government will have to adopt a transparent strategy to strengthen its electoral framework and prevent foreign interference. A government spokesman said: “We are committed to protecting our democracy.
