May 24, 2023 • 3 mins
No public inquiry but public meetings. And that recommendation into the allegatitions of electoral interference by the Chinese puts the Prime Minister between a rock and a hard place.
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Episode Transcript
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(00:02):
A classic case of being between arock and a hard place. On one
hand, you have to explain toCanadians why there's no evidence foreign interference affected
results in the last two federal elections. And on the other hand, you
can't show the evidence to Canadians becauseit's classified and it requires some of the
highest security clearances to be able toeven be briefed on the details. That's
(00:22):
where Justin Trudeau finds himself after DavidJohnston, his Special Rappotture, released his
report into the allegations of Chinese interference. Now, we don't think as national
security the same way as our Americanneighbors. For them, it's CIA,
FBI, Secret Service, a worldof high level briefings and clearances, and
in our country, the agency responsiblefor overseeing those secrets and who gets to
(00:43):
see them is the Canadian Security IntelligenceService or CSS Canada. Dot SA says
the Government Security Screening Program investigates andprovide security assessments on persons whose employment with
the Government of Canada requires them tohave lawful access to classified information or sensitive
sites such as major ports, airports, nuclear facilities, or the Parliamentary Precinct.
(01:03):
Now, earlier this year, mediaout That's in Canada started reporting on
allegations of electoral interference, apparently basedon information leaked by some one inside CSIS,
and it led to MP Handong's quittingof the Liberal caucus after a report
alleged he spoke with Chinese diplomats intwenty twenty one to advise them to continue
to hold to Canadians captive to helpthe Liberal Party. Now. The reports
(01:23):
cited two unnamed national security sources whosaid that Dong made the suggestion because well,
the release would be helpful to conservatives. Now there's currently a lawsuit against
the media outlet they made the allegationand Johnston's report. A number of the
media reports were based on incomplete information, and that in spite of leaning towards
a full public inquiry in the beginning, which is what the opposition was demanding
(01:45):
that there should be public hearings intothe matter. Now he says he'll head
those hearings and gather input from communitiesat the heart of the allegations. But
his main point is that a publicreview of classified intelligence simply cannot be done.
The information is secret, so there'sno way that the public can review
any of it. But he didrecommend the opposition leaders should get the appropriate
clearance and review the information themselves.That way they could check his work,
(02:08):
and DP leader jug Meats Singh seemsup for that, but not Pierre paulyeff
he's digging in, doubling down againcalling for Johnston to resign. There's no
way that he'll agree to anything thatwill silence him. And sure that's the
job of the opposition, but it'salso not likely to move anyone to his
camp who isn't already fed up withthe government or political rhetoric. Now.
(02:28):
Johnson wrote that he understood he maynot want to be the subject to the
constraints of Canada Security Information Law,but this matter quote is too important for
anyone aspiring to lead the country tointentionally maintain a veil of ignorance on these
matters. While political parties may disagreeablepolicy and priorities, they should do so
from a common understanding of the truefacts, not as speculator or hypothesized from
(02:50):
media reports based on leaks of partialinformation. And once again, rock Meet
Hard Place, Hard Place, MeetRock. I'm Sheldon McCloud for Saltwire.
A turn off the noise, tunein to what matters. What matters is
information you can trust. What mattersis the news you can use to make
(03:12):
life's big decisions, informed healthcare choices, casting the smart vote, or opening
that business. What matters is understandingthe world around you. Let's Saltwire connect
you to what matters with unlimited accessto the information you need for only twenty
dollars for the first year. Becomea member today.
A classic case of being between arock and a hard place. On one
hand, you have to explain toCanadians why there's no evidence foreign interference affected
results in the last two federal elections. And on the other hand, you
can't show the evidence to Canadians becauseit's classified and it requires some of the
highest security clearances to be able toeven be briefed on the details. That's
(00:22):
where Justin Trudeau finds himself after DavidJohnston, his Special Rappotture, released his
report into the allegations of Chinese interference. Now, we don't think as national
security the same way as our Americanneighbors. For them, it's CIA,
FBI, Secret Service, a worldof high level briefings and clearances, and
in our country, the agency responsiblefor overseeing those secrets and who gets to
(00:43):
see them is the Canadian Security IntelligenceService or CSS Canada. Dot SA says
the Government Security Screening Program investigates andprovide security assessments on persons whose employment with
the Government of Canada requires them tohave lawful access to classified information or sensitive
sites such as major ports, airports, nuclear facilities, or the Parliamentary Precinct.
(01:03):
Now, earlier this year, mediaout That's in Canada started reporting on
allegations of electoral interference, apparently basedon information leaked by some one inside CSIS,
and it led to MP Handong's quittingof the Liberal caucus after a report
alleged he spoke with Chinese diplomats intwenty twenty one to advise them to continue
to hold to Canadians captive to helpthe Liberal Party. Now. The reports
(01:23):
cited two unnamed national security sources whosaid that Dong made the suggestion because well,
the release would be helpful to conservatives. Now there's currently a lawsuit against
the media outlet they made the allegationand Johnston's report. A number of the
media reports were based on incomplete information, and that in spite of leaning towards
a full public inquiry in the beginning, which is what the opposition was demanding
(01:45):
that there should be public hearings intothe matter. Now he says he'll head
those hearings and gather input from communitiesat the heart of the allegations. But
his main point is that a publicreview of classified intelligence simply cannot be done.
The information is secret, so there'sno way that the public can review
any of it. But he didrecommend the opposition leaders should get the appropriate
clearance and review the information themselves.That way they could check his work,
(02:08):
and DP leader jug Meats Singh seemsup for that, but not Pierre paulyeff
he's digging in, doubling down againcalling for Johnston to resign. There's no
way that he'll agree to anything thatwill silence him. And sure that's the
job of the opposition, but it'salso not likely to move anyone to his
camp who isn't already fed up withthe government or political rhetoric. Now.
(02:28):
Johnson wrote that he understood he maynot want to be the subject to the
constraints of Canada Security Information Law,but this matter quote is too important for
anyone aspiring to lead the country tointentionally maintain a veil of ignorance on these
matters. While political parties may disagreeablepolicy and priorities, they should do so
from a common understanding of the truefacts, not as speculator or hypothesized from
(02:50):
media reports based on leaks of partialinformation. And once again, rock Meet
Hard Place, Hard Place, MeetRock. I'm Sheldon McCloud for Saltwire.
A turn off the noise, tunein to what matters. What matters is
information you can trust. What mattersis the news you can use to make
(03:12):
life's big decisions, informed healthcare choices, casting the smart vote, or opening
that business. What matters is understandingthe world around you. Let's Saltwire connect
you to what matters with unlimited accessto the information you need for only twenty
dollars for the first year. Becomea member today.
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