Spy agency told election chief of possible meddling in nomination, inquiry hears
Chief electoral officer Stephane Perrault says Canada's spy agency told him during the 2019 general election about possible foreign meddling in a political nomination contest.
A document tabled Thursday at a commission of inquiry into foreign interference says Perrault decided at that point no action could be taken on the issue in the Toronto riding of Don Valley North.
As head of Elections Canada, Perrault is responsible for ensuring Canadians can exercise their democratic rights to vote and be a candidate.
The document, a summary of the commission's classified interview with Perrault, says he noted that participation in a nomination contest is not regulated in the same way as an election.
Perrault also pointed out that no complaints had been lodged by other participants in the nomination contest.
A 2023 media report alleged that China interfered with the nomination of Han Dong as the Liberal candidate in Don Valley North in 2019.
At the inquiry Thursday, Perrault was asked whether the matter brought to him by the Canadian Security Intelligence Service involved the Liberal party's nomination contest.
Perrault said he was not authorized to go beyond what was stated in the document.
In the interview with the commission, he said that following the 2019 election, a nomination contest report audit was conducted as part of the usual process.
The file was referred to the Office of the Commissioner of Canada Elections, which conducts investigations, for reasons possibly unrelated to the allegation of interference, such as accuracy, completeness or missed filing deadlines.
The inquiry hearings are delving into alleged interference by China, India, Russia and others in the 2019 and 2021 general elections.
Overall, Perrault told the inquiry he has confidence in the integrity of the last two elections with respect to his mandate.
In his report last May, David Johnston, a special rapporteur appointed by the government to look into possible foreign meddling, said irregularities were observed with Dong's nomination in 2019.
Johnston said there was "well-grounded suspicion" that the irregularities were tied to the Chinese consulate in Toronto, with whom Dong maintained a relationship.
However, Johnston found no evidence Dong was aware of the irregularities or the consulate's potential involvement in his nomination.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was briefed about the irregularities, although no specific recommendation was provided, Johnston added. "He concluded there was no basis to displace Mr. Dong as the candidate for Don Valley North. This was not an unreasonable conclusion based on the intelligence available to the prime minister at the time."
During testimony Thursday, Perrault said he agreed with the notion that a person who wants to vote in a political party nomination contest should be required first to purchase a party membership using a Canadian-based payment source such as a bank account or credit card.
The inquiry, led by Quebec judge Marie-Josee Hogue, expects to hear evidence from more than 40 people, including Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, cabinet ministers and political party representatives.
An initial report of findings from the commission is due May 3.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 28, 2024.
IN DEPTH
Jagmeet Singh pulls NDP out of deal with Trudeau Liberals, takes aim at Poilievre Conservatives
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh has pulled his party out of the supply-and-confidence agreement that had been helping keep Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's minority Liberals in power.
'Not the result we wanted': Trudeau responds after surprise Conservative byelection win in Liberal stronghold
Conservative candidate Don Stewart winning the closely-watched Toronto-St. Paul's federal byelection, and delivering a stunning upset to Justin Trudeau's candidate Leslie Church in the long-time Liberal riding, has sent political shockwaves through both parties.
'We will go with the majority': Liberals slammed by opposition over proposal to delay next election
The federal Liberal government learned Friday it might have to retreat on a proposal within its electoral reform legislation to delay the next vote by one week, after all opposition parties came out to say they can't support it.
Budget 2024 prioritizes housing while taxing highest earners, deficit projected at $39.8B
In an effort to level the playing field for young people, in the 2024 federal budget, the government is targeting Canada's highest earners with new taxes in order to help offset billions in new spending to enhance the country's housing supply and social supports.
'One of the greatest': Former prime minister Brian Mulroney commemorated at state funeral
Prominent Canadians, political leaders, and family members remembered former prime minister and Progressive Conservative titan Brian Mulroney as an ambitious and compassionate nation-builder at his state funeral on Saturday.
Opinion
opinion Don Martin: Gusher of Liberal spending won't put out the fire in this dumpster
A Hail Mary rehash of the greatest hits from the Trudeau government’s three-week travelling pony-show, the 2024 federal budget takes aim at reversing the party’s popularity plunge in the under-40 set, writes political columnist Don Martin. But will it work before the next election?
opinion Don Martin: The doctor Trudeau dumped has a prescription for better health care
Political columnist Don Martin sat down with former federal health minister Jane Philpott, who's on a crusade to help fix Canada's broken health care system, and who declined to take any shots at the prime minister who dumped her from caucus.
opinion Don Martin: Trudeau's seeking shelter from the housing storm he helped create
While Justin Trudeau's recent housing announcements are generally drawing praise from experts, political columnist Don Martin argues there shouldn’t be any standing ovations for a prime minister who helped caused the problem in the first place.
opinion Don Martin: Poilievre has the field to himself as he races across the country to big crowds
It came to pass on Thursday evening that the confidentially predictable failure of the Official Opposition non-confidence motion went down with 204 Liberal, BQ and NDP nays to 116 Conservative yeas. But forcing Canada into a federal election campaign was never the point.
opinion Don Martin: How a beer break may have doomed the carbon tax hike
When the Liberal government chopped a planned beer excise tax hike to two per cent from 4.5 per cent and froze future increases until after the next election, says political columnist Don Martin, it almost guaranteed a similar carbon tax move in the offing.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
3 injured after man with knife enters Montreal-area mosque
Three men were injured after trying to subdue a man armed with a knife during afternoon prayers at a Montreal-area mosque Friday afternoon.
Police arrest 18-year-old woman who allegedly stole Porsche and ran over its owner
Police have arrested an 18-year-old woman who allegedly stole a Porsche and then ran over its owner in an incident that was captured on video.
Woman nearly shut out of mother's estate sues brother in B.C. Supreme Court – and wins
Since she was a young girl growing up in Vancouver, Ginny Lam says her mom Yat Hei Law made it very clear she favoured her son William, because he was her male heir.
Teen arrested in New Brunswick after emergency alert; 5 people in custody
A 15-year-old boy who was the subject of an emergency alert in New Brunswick has been arrested.
Kamala Harris tells Oprah any intruder to her home is 'getting shot'
U.S. Vice-President Kamala Harris on Thursday issued a warning to any potential home intruder: 'If somebody breaks in my house, they're getting shot.'
On the trail of the mystery woman whose company licensed exploding pagers
What Cristiana Barsony-Arcidiacono, 49, the Italian-Hungarian CEO and owner of Hungary-based BAC Consulting, says she hasn't done is make the exploding pagers that killed 12 people and wounded more than 2,000 in Lebanon this week.
Woman shot by B.C. police was Colombian refugee with young daughter, advocate says
Advocates have identified the woman who died this week after being shot by police in Surrey, B.C., as a South American refugee who was raising a young daughter.
'We're still pushing hard': Search for missing Manitoba boy continues, RCMP find tracks
The search for a missing six-year-old boy in Shamattawa is continuing Friday as RCMP hope recent tips can help lead to a happy conclusion.
Video released of person of interest after cat is allegedly set on fire in Orillia, Ont.
Provincial police investigating the death of a cat that was allegedly set on fire in Orillia earlier this week released surveillance video of a person of interest in the case.
Local Spotlight
'Sheer excitement': Manitoba photographer snaps photo of lightning strike and double rainbow
Getting a photograph of a rainbow? Common. Getting a photo of a lightning strike? Rare. Getting a photo of both at the same time? Extremely rare, but it happened to a Manitoba photographer this week.
'It was a shock': Business pays Moncton not-for-profit's mortgage
An anonymous business owner paid off the mortgage for a New Brunswick not-for-profit.
Heroic dog saved his northern Ont. owner who had a massive heart attack
They say a dog is a man’s best friend. In the case of Darren Cropper, from Bonfield, Ont., his three-year-old Siberian husky and golden retriever mix named Bear literally saved his life.
Brides and vendors claim they were ripped off by Barrie, Ont. photographer
A growing group of brides and wedding photographers from across the province say they have been taken for tens of thousands of dollars by a Barrie, Ont. wedding photographer.
'Trove of extraordinary fossils' discovered in northern B.C., museum says
Paleontologists from the Royal B.C. Museum have uncovered "a trove of extraordinary fossils" high in the mountains of northern B.C., the museum announced Thursday.
Missing 28-year-old donkey found dead, believed to have been killed by cougar
The search for a missing ancient 28-year-old chocolate donkey ended with a tragic discovery Wednesday.
'The gift they gave us was their service': 50 years since first female troop joined the RCMP
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police is celebrating an important milestone in the organization's history: 50 years since the first women joined the force.
Young family from northern Ontario wins $70 million Lotto Max jackpot
It's been a whirlwind of joyful events for a northern Ontario couple who just welcomed a baby into their family and won the $70 million Lotto Max jackpot last month.
'The right thing to do': Good Samaritan builds new bottle cart for Moncton man who had his stolen
A Good Samaritan in New Brunswick has replaced a man's stolen bottle cart so he can continue to collect cans and bottles in his Moncton neighbourhood.