Trudeau ‘expressed frustration’ about ‘sensationalized’ intel leaks

Public summary of February interview disclosed at hearing

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 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, 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.

At the hearing Wednesday, Trudeau reeled off a list of measures his government had taken to address foreign interference since assuming power in 2015