44th Parl. 1st Sess.
March 23, 2023 10:00AM
Mr. Speaker, speaking of cybersecurity, I would like to hear what my colleague thinks of the allegations made in the Journal de Montréal two or three weeks ago about a woman of Chinese descent who was elected as a Brossard city councillor. We know that she was the director of two Chinese community centres, one in Montreal and one in Brossard, that are suspected of having become Chinese police stations.
It is suspected that this woman got elected to Brossard's city council because people from the Chinese government sent WeChat messages to members of Brossard's Chinese community, telling them to vote for her. This woman is believed to be a Chinese operative. There is a link to the Chinese government, which is using digital platforms to influence our municipal and even provincial and federal elections.
I would like to know what my colleague thinks about that. Does this not prove that it is more urgent than ever to launch an independent public inquiry into Chinese interference in this country?
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- Mar/23/23 2:22:42 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, we have two members of our national security services who have told the media that a Liberal MP told the Chinese not to release the two Michaels.
I have now twice asked when the Prime Minister, his office or his department were informed of this startling revelation. I am going to ask a third time and I ask the minister to answer.
When did the Prime Minister become aware of these allegations?
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- Mar/23/23 2:30:53 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the way we do everything the minister just said is by launching a public inquiry.
The allegations published yesterday are shocking and disturbing. It is clear that a public inquiry is needed. These allegations are eroding people's confidence in our democracy.
We have an opportunity today. Is the Prime Minister prepared to allow his MPs to vote in favour of our motion calling for a public inquiry?
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- Mar/23/23 2:32:19 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, yesterday Global News printed very serious allegations about a member who sits in the House. The allegations, according to two separate national security sources, state that he privately advised a senior Chinese diplomat in February 2021 that Beijing should hold off freeing Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor.
For the sixth time today, on what date did the Prime Minister first learn of these allegations from security officials?
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- Mar/23/23 2:33:26 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the allegations from two separate national security sources state that a member of the House privately advised Beijing officials to hold off freeing two Canadian hostages held captive for over 1,000 days.
After all of the new evidence that Canadians have learned on election interference, it would be difficult for them to believe that security sources told Global News about the Liberal member’s actions without anyone trying to inform the Prime Minister.
I will ask for the seventh time today: On what day did the Prime Minister first learn of these allegations against a member of his own caucus?
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- Mar/23/23 2:34:51 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the evidence is mounting. Every day, we are finding new pieces to the foreign interference puzzle. Just yesterday, new allegations were revealed, which led to the resignation of a long-standing member of the Liberal caucus. We will continue to ask questions until Canadians get a straightforward answer.
For the eighth consecutive time, on what date did the Prime Minister first learn of these serious and troubling allegations?
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- Mar/23/23 2:36:09 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, yesterday, new serious allegations about foreign interference in federal elections led to a high-profile resignation from the Liberal caucus, a caucus member whom the Prime Minister has staunchly defended.
We have already asked this eight times today. I will give the Liberals a ninth chance to answer. On what day did the Prime Minister first learn of these troubling allegations?
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- Mar/23/23 2:37:21 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, day after day, there are new questions about what the Prime Minister knows about Beijing's interference. Yesterday, it was reported, based on national security sources, that a Liberal MP advised Beijing's Toronto consul general that the two Michaels languished in a Communist Party jail because somehow their release would benefit the Conservatives. This is about as serious as it gets. The Prime Minister needs to come clean.
For the tenth time, when did the Prime Minister learn of these allegations?
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- Mar/23/23 2:43:45 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, yesterday, Global News published very serious allegations about a sitting MP. These allegations came from two separate national security sources. They are saying, and I quote, that he advised a senior Chinese diplomat in February 2021 that Beijing should hold off on freeing Michael Spavor and Michael Kovrig. I am asking the same question that was asked 11 consecutive times today.
On what date did the Prime Minister first learn of these allegations from security officials?
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- Mar/23/23 2:44:59 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I do not know what is so hard for the minister to understand. The question is simple. The allegations are serious. The government's failure to respond is revealing. For the 13th time, I will ask a very simple question that needs a very simple answer. When was the Prime Minister informed of the serious allegations revealed by Global News yesterday?
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- Mar/23/23 2:46:02 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I find it really hard to believe that national security officials would have chosen to deliberately inform the media about such a sensitive matter before informing the Prime Minister. Again according to the Global News article, the Liberal MP “was already the subject of a CSIS probe started in the summer of 2019, three sources said, because the service believed a ‘subtle but effective’ election-interference network directed by the Toronto Chinese Consulate had clandestinely supported Dong's 2019 candidacy”.
We have asked the Prime Minister this question 13 times. On what exact date was the Prime Minister made aware of these serious allegations?
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- Mar/23/23 2:50:45 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, yesterday, Global News printed very serious allegations about a member who sits in this House. The allegations, according to two separate national security sources, stated that he “privately advised a senior Chinese diplomat in February 2021 that Beijing should hold off freeing Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor”.
For the 15th time today, on what date did the Prime Minister first learn of these allegations from security officials?
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- Mar/23/23 2:51:54 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, these non-answers are eroding public trust in our democracy.
The allegations from two separate national security sources state that a member in this House privately advised Beijing officials to hold off on freeing Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor, two Canadians who were held captive for 1,000 days.
For the 16th time, on what date did the Prime Minister first learn about these allegations against a member of his caucus?
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- Mar/23/23 2:53:12 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, this is very serious and is not partisan. Shame on the member for saying so.
The allegations by Global News yesterday were very disturbing. Two national security sources say that a Liberal MP advised Beijing to keep the two Michaels locked up to suffer for partisan political gain. That MP has now resigned from the Liberal caucus.
Canadians deserve to know the truth. Even more, the two Michaels and their families deserve to know the truth.
For the 17th time today, tell us on what date the Prime Minister learned of these horrendous allegations.
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- Mar/23/23 2:58:44 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, we have asked one question 18 times. This question, if not answered, threatens the core of our Canadian democracy. It is time to stop disrespecting the House. These allegations are as serious as it gets.
For over 1,000 days, the two Michaels waited in a cell wondering if they would ever see their families again, so we will ask this again: On what day did the Prime Minister know of these horrendous and disturbing allegations of a Liberal MP who told the PRC consulate to leave them in their cells?
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- Mar/23/23 3:00:11 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, allegations emerged that a Liberal MP urged Beijing not to release the two Michaels. The ministers here today so far are evading being honest with Canadians.
For the 20th time today, on what date did the Prime Minister first hear about these serious allegations reported in the media?
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- Mar/23/23 3:00:39 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, when we are dealing with something as serious and as fundamental as foreign interference in our democracy, how we engage in those conversations, how we talk to one another, is exceptionally important.
What we have said from the onset is that we have NSICOP, which allows members from all parties to look into every aspect and every corner of government on all of these issues. We have appointed an eminent expert, who was appointed, in fact, by the Conservative government to be Governor General, to look at these issues and whose commitment to our democracy is impeccable. He will make recommendations on the next step.
We have to be careful about throwing around allegations as though they are fact. Instead, we need to be judicious in how we deal with these matters.
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- Mar/23/23 3:01:24 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the premise of my question is a fact.
The allegations last evening levelled at a member of the Liberal caucus are so serious that Canadians need to know the truth. This affects our democratic institutions and our national security.
For the umpteenth time, when was the Prime Minister informed of these allegations against a member of his caucus? On what date?
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- Mar/23/23 3:03:41 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, all day today the Liberal government and Liberal members have said they want to have a fact-based discussion. Well, we are only asking for one fact, and it is a very simple one. When was the Prime Minister briefed on these deeply troubling allegations about a member from the Liberal caucus who has now resigned?
We have asked for this simple fact now for the 22nd time. Why will they not answer this simple fact-based question?
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- Mar/23/23 3:05:32 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, this is why we do not play with national security using partisan theatre. The member just stood in his place, as we have heard many times, and talked about allegations as if they are fact. He said that things must be true and they know things that, of course, they could not possibly know.
What we have said throughout this process is that when we are dealing with national security and foreign autocracies trying to undermine our democracy, we need to have the maturity to allow our institutions and process to answer these questions as opposed to playing this out in partisan theatre.
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