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A WAR WITHIN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
From Spencer Fernando.
Paywalled….so copied into a comment. Cant copy graphics there so will post them here…stand by
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The Twitter account of the Canadian Security Intelligence Service has been very interesting recently.
Here are a few examples from just the past week:
Those Tweets from CSIS must be viewed in the context of the fact that CSIS leaks are the only reason there is even a discussion right now about China’s foreign interference.
Someone – or more likely many people – within CSIS have evidently become so disturbed by China’s interference in Canada’s democratic institutions that they felt leaking info to the media was the only way to make anything happen.
Leaking information would be a last resort, as the penalties for being caught doing so are severe.
Thus, we can be almost certain that all these concerns were initially brought up through official channels, only for the Trudeau government to take no action.
That is something the Liberals have been keen to avoid, but the implications are stark:
If the Trudeau government had their way, we wouldn’t know about any of this.
So, when the government now claims they take the issue seriously, it’s only because the leaks generated so much public and political pressure that they had little choice but to do ‘something.’
The leaks appear to still be ongoing, with more stories emerging every few days about China’s foreign interference efforts.
It now appears there is a ‘war’ within the federal government itself.
One side is made up of those who wanted to ignore foreign election interference for political reasons. That side is the most powerful, as it includes the Prime Minister and much of the Liberal cabinet.
Another side is made up of those who realize the Trudeau cabinet doesn’t want to even acknowledge election interference, and must be forced into doing so through well-planned leaks to the media. That side is less powerful at the present moment and are taking enormous risks to get this information out to Canadians.
This raises the debate around what it really means to be loyal to your country.
Trudeau and his backers would argue that the leaks are illegal and go against how the system is supposed to work.
Those leaking the information would argue that true loyalty is taking action to protect Canada from interference by countries like China, and that leaking the information was only necessary because the Trudeau government failed to do their job in protecting Canada’s national interests and democratic institutions.
Given that survey after survey shows a clear majority of Canadians take the issue of foreign interference seriously and are demanding an inquiry, the pro-truth faction within the federal government has public opinion on their side.
And given how widely-known the issue has become, any ruthless crackdown by the Trudeau government on whistleblowers will only further confirm the suspicions of many Canadians – thus pushing public opinion even more in favour of those who believe Canadians deserve to know that our institutions are under attack.
Doug Ford puts Justin Trudeau on the spot
Multiple reports regarding China’s election interference have often referenced the fact that while most of the Canadian politicians alleged to be involved in China’s election interference are Liberals, two of them may have been federal Conservative candidates.
This has been held up by some Trudeau supporters as evidence that China’s interference isn’t a ‘partisan problem,’ and is instead something everyone is involved in.
This has led some Liberal partisans to make illogical arguments, simultaneously trying to downplay the issue of China’s interference while claiming it is a serious issue when a few Conservatives are allegedly involved.
Unfortunately for the Liberals, they face a significant problem attempting to generate a ‘pox on all your houses’ sentiment, and they face that problem for one simple reason:
The Conservatives are calling for a public inquiry, while the Liberals are not.
Even while knowing that some individuals affiliated with their party may be implicated, the Conservatives are still pushing for a public inquiry.
The Liberals, meanwhile, appear desperate to avoid one.
When I refer to Liberals here, I’m referring to the Trudeau government, not Liberal supporters writ large.
In fact, a recent survey by Abacus Data showed almost an identical number of Conservative supporters and Liberal supporters want an inquiry.
According to the survey, 71% of Liberal supporters want a public inquiry, compared to 72% of Conservative supporters.
12% of Liberal supporters oppose an inquiry, while 11% of Conservatives oppose it.
There are differences in the intensity of opinion, with 41% of Conservatives strongly supporting an inquiry compared to 25% of Liberals saying the same, but the overall sentiment is similar.
This matches with what I’ve written in recent columns at SpencerFernando.com, noting that Trudeau is offside even his own supporters by refusing to call an inquiry.
The Prime Minister continues to give every indication that he has something to hide, as his ongoing refusal to call a public inquiry is more and more politically damaging with each passing day. If he would rather take that political damage than call an inquiry, it can only because he believes the damage of calling one – and having more information be revealed – would be worse.
But, if there was any lingering doubt that the Trudeau government is uniquely vulnerable – and likely uniquely complicit – in China’s election interference, the contrast between Doug Ford & Justin Trudeau should have erased it.
I’m referring to how the Ontario Premier responded after a Global News report alleged Vincent Ke – an Ontario PC MPP – was involved in China’s effort to fund Canadian election candidates.
In less than 24 hours, Ke resigned from the Ontario PC Caucus and will sit as an independent.
For reference, here is part of the report that led to Ke’s resignation:
“An election interference network directed by China’s Toronto consulate allegedly involved a sitting member of the Ontario legislature, according to sources with knowledge of the investigation into Beijing’s covert efforts during the 2019 federal election.
Those sources assert that Vincent Ke, a Progressive Conservative member in Premier Doug Ford’s government since 2018, served as a financial intermediary in Chinese Communist Party (CCP) interference schemes described in two separate Privy Council Office intelligence reports reviewed by Global News.
According to those same sources, Ke received around $50,000, part of a larger disbursement from the Chinese Consulate in Toronto in the $250,000 range that was channelled through a series of intermediaries.
Ke has denied the allegations.
One of the documents that refer to the funding schemes is a January 2022 Privy Council Office (PCO) report, which asserts that the CCP’s Toronto-area network included 11 or more 2019 federal candidates, 13 or more aides, and an Ontario MPP.
The report does not mention Ke by name but described in detail how the alleged network operated.”
In a statement, Ke said he stepped aside to avoid being a distraction, while denying the allegations:
In a statement, a spokesperson for the Ontario Premier said Ford accepted Ke’s resignation:
“Mr. Ke offered to step away from the Ontario PC caucus. The Premier agreed and has accepted his resignation effective immediately.”
Whether Ke resigned or was ‘told’ to resign, the fact of the matter is that the Ford Government in Ontario distanced itself from Ke within day.
That is a marked contrast from how Trudeau has dealt with – or rather not dealt with – Liberal MP Han Dong, who is also facing similar allegations to that made in regard to Vincent Ke.
This is what Trudeau said when asked about Dong:
“Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is defending Liberal MP Han Dong amid allegations that Canada’s domestic spy agency warned Liberals in 2019 that he was part of a Chinese foreign interference network.
“I want to make everyone understand fully that Han Dong is an outstanding member of our team and suggestions that he is somehow not loyal to Canada should not be entertained,” Trudeau said.
“There are 1.7 million Canadians who proudly trace their origins back to China. Those Canadians should always be welcomed as full Canadians and encouraged to stand for office, to get involved in their communities and to take on part of the leadership of this country.”
Speaking to reporters in Mississauga Monday, Trudeau was asked about the allegations and said he was “extraordinarily happy” to have Dong in Parliament.”
We have now seen how Prime Minister Justin Trudeau handles allegations of involvement in China’s election interference, and how Ontario Premier Doug Ford handles it:
Ford acted within a day.
Trudeau has done nothing, and indeed defended the individual accused of being involved.
Time and time again, Trudeau has had the opportunity to show that he takes China’s interference seriously, and that he is not a part of China’s interference efforts.
It’s an opportunity he’s never taken.
And now, seeing how swiftly the Ford government reacted only makes Trudeau’s lack of action more egregious.