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.

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 was testifying 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 foreign 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.

At the hearing Wednesday, Trudeau reeled off a list of measures his government had taken to address foreign interference since assuming power in 2015. His appearance follows several days of testimony from members of his cabinet, political party representatives, bureaucrats and intelligence officials.

Under a protocol ushered in by the Liberals, there would be a public announcement if a panel of bureaucrats determined that an incident — or an accumulation of incidents — threatened Canada’s ability to have a free and fair election.

There was no such announcement concerning either the 2019 or 2021 general elections. In both ballots, the Liberals were returned to government with minority mandates while the Conservatives formed the official Opposition.

The former minister of democratic institutions said she was told after the October 2019 federal election that Canada’s spy agency had seen low-level foreign interference activities by China.

Karina Gould said in a classified interview last month that the Canadian Security Intelligence Service indicated the activities were similar to what had been seen in the past.

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