An official investigation into allegations of foreign meddling in Canadian elections has concluded that India did not attempt to interfere in the country's politics. The probe, conducted by a panel of senior Canadian officials, found no evidence of Indian involvement in the 2019 and 2021 elections. This finding contradicts earlier claims by the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) alleging Indian interference in the elections.
A poll official, speaking to the probe panel, stated, "I do not believe during the 2021 election that we saw evidence of the Government of India using those tools in the campaign."
However, the probe did confirm Chinese interference in Canada's last two elections. Testimony in the official probe revealed that China attempted to interfere in the electoral process, targeting the principal opposition Conservative Party and its leader, Erin O’Toole, who had adopted a platform critical of Beijing.
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The document, titled Briefing to the Prime Minister’s Office on Foreign Interference Threats to Canada’s Democratic Institutions, said, “We know that the PRC (People’s Republic of China) clandestinely and deceptively interfered both in the 2019 and 2021 general elections.” China has denied Canada’s allegations so far.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's Liberal Party emerged victorious in both the 2019 and 2021 elections. In response to the allegations, Trudeau established a commission to investigate foreign interference.
India had previously refuted the claims of interference, reaffirming its commitment to non-interference in other nations' democratic processes. External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal earlier dismissed the allegations as baseless, saying, “We strongly reject all such baseless allegations of Indian interference in Canadian elections. It is not the Government of India’s policy to interfere in the democratic processes of other countries. In fact, quite the opposite, it is Canada which has been interfering in our internal affairs.”
While India denied involvement in Canadian elections, it had been named during the hearings and cited by CSIS in connection with conducting foreign interference activity in Canada. Alongside China, other countries mentioned in this regard include Russia, Iran, and Pakistan.
The public hearings for the inquiry are entering their final stretch, with senior officials, including Prime Minister Trudeau, expected to testify before the panel today.