Former public safety minister didn't know about delayed spy warrant, he tells inquiry
Former public safety minister Bill Blair told a federal inquiry Friday he had no knowledge about delays in approving a spy service warrant in 2021 that may have included references to people in his own government.
A commission of inquiry into foreign interference has heard that it took 54 days for the Canadian Security Intelligence Service warrant application to be approved by Blair.
The average turnaround time for such applications is four to 10 days.
Michelle Tessier, CSIS deputy director of operations during the period, told the inquiry in previous testimony there was frustration with the delay, though there was no concern about interference of any sort or pushback from the minister’s office.
In his testimony, Blair — who is now minister of national defence — said the existence of the warrant wasn't brought to his attention until he saw an entry in his calendar that he would need to be briefed on a confidential matter by CSIS.
"It was indicated on my calendar it was for the purposes of a warrant, but no information was provided in a non-secure setting about what that warrant was about," Blair told the commission in his testimony Friday.
He didn't know about the content of the warrant until he got that briefing, 54 days after the CSIS director and deputy public safety minister asked for his authorization. He signed it the same day.
A past report in the Globe and Mail and a lawyer at the inquiry have suggested the subject of the warrant was Michael Chan, an influential Liberal and former Ontario minister. But federal officials have refused to confirm who CSIS hoped to surveil through the warrant, citing national security concerns.
Blair said he was briefed on the matter several months before CSIS asked him to approve the warrant, but he had no idea at that time where the investigation was headed.
This week, Blair’s former chief of staff Zita Astravas faced questions about whether she tried to delay the warrant in order to protect connections in the Liberal government and party.
Blair's chief of staff was briefed about the situation 13 days after the initial request for the minister's approval was made, but Blair said no information about that briefing was passed on to him.
Blair said he never felt conflicted about approving the warrant; he simply didn't know it existed.
"I can’t approve something I didn’t know anything about," the minister told the inquiry.
"No one suggested to me that there were any difficulties bringing those matters forward to me in a proper way."
Blair said he still doesn't know why it took 54 days for the warrant to come to his attention.
Once he got the information, he said he didn't share any information with the prime minister, the prime minister's office, or anyone outside of the secure briefing.
The COVID-19 pandemic had a major effect on the flow of information in Blair's office, he explained. He relied almost entirely on verbal briefings at that time because he wasn't able to receive documents securely at his home.
It's not clear if CSIS or the Public Safety Department knew Blair wasn't getting written briefings on confidential intelligence, as commission lawyers said both appear to have directed electronic and printed records to the minister that he says never reached him.
"I had no knowledge that any of this info was being sent in my direction," Blair said when presented with examples.
The commission of inquiry's latest hearings are looking at the ability of federal agencies to identify and counter foreign interference. A final report is due by the end of the year.
Heritage Minister Pascale St-Onge also testified Friday about the importance of a robust media industry when it comes to fighting disinformation in political campaigns. She said local media is especially important at combating disinformation about particular candidates in a race.
Next week the inquiry is expected to hear from the current public safety minister, Dominic LeBlanc, as well as Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and the top staff in his office.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 11, 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
Biden delivers remarks following Trump's win
U.S. President Joe Biden delivered remarks to the nation Thursday in what was his first appearance on camera following Donald Trump’s decisive victory over Kamala Harris.
PM Trudeau revives Canada-U.S. relations cabinet committee after Trump win
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is reviving a special cabinet committee dedicated to Canada-U.S. relations, following Republican Donald Trump's re-election.
Police in southern Mexico find 11 bodies, including two of minors, dumped by a highway
Police in a southern Mexico region rife with drug cartel violence have found 11 bodies, including two of minors, dumped by a highway, prosecutors in the state of Guerrero said Thursday.
The world's 10 richest people got a record US$64 billion richer from Trump's re-election
Wednesday wasn't just a good day for Donald Trump. The wealth of the world’s 10 richest people also soared by a record amount, according to Bloomberg’s Billionaire Index.
New DNA evidence rewrites long-told stories of people in ancient Pompeii
When a volcanic eruption buried the ancient city of Pompeii, the last desperate moments of its citizens were preserved in stone for centuries.
Video shows suspect shooting man inside Markham, Ont. garage
Police have released video footage showing a suspect shooting a man inside a Markham garage in broad daylight on Wednesday afternoon.
Inside Canada's chaotic response to avian flu
A CFIA official is calling it the 'largest animal health emergency that this country has ever had to face.' A joint IJF/CTV News investigation looks into Canada's response to the bird flu pandemic, and how it's ravaged the country's farms.
Wayne Gretzky, Elon Musk and a few pro golfers: Here's who attended Trump's victory party
U.S. president-elect Donald Trump welcomed a variety of attendees at his victory celebrations in Florida this week, from his family, supporters and political allies to a selection of high-profile figures.
Who ruined Hobo Hot Springs? Ministry investigates as mystery roils Harrison, B.C.
The steaming waters in the Village of Harrison Hot Springs, 130 kilometres east of Vancouver, could once be enjoyed in pools known as the Hobo Hot Springs for free — unlike the neighbouring Harrison Hot Springs Resort where users of its pools must be resort guests.
Local Spotlight
B.C. man discovers 115 stuffed animals hidden behind wall, begins donating them to people around world
As Connor Nijsse prepared to remove some old drywall during his garage renovation, he feared the worst.
'We put love into it': Group of N.S. women gather to make quilts for those in need
A group of women in Chester, N.S., has been busy on the weekends making quilts – not for themselves, but for those in need.
Vancouver musician lands 'meaningful interaction' with Ed Sheeran after busking outside his show
A Vancouver artist whose streetside singing led to a chance encounter with one of the world's biggest musicians is encouraging aspiring performers to try their hand at busking.
10K hand-knit poppies displayed at the Dartmouth Cenotaph
Ten-thousand hand-knit poppies were taken from the Sanctuary Arts Centre and displayed on the fence surrounding the Dartmouth Cenotaph on Monday.
'I put my whole life on hold': B.C. man embarks on Arctic to Antarctica trek
A Vancouver man is saying goodbye to his nine-to-five and embarking on a road trip from the Canadian Arctic to Antarctica.
Windsor teen's shredded pepperoni pizza post goes viral
A Windsor teen’s social media post showing off a distinctive Windsor pizza topping has gone viral, drawing millions of views worldwide and sparking new curiosity about Windsor-style pizza.
'You look like me': 7-year-old who went viral for his Auston Matthews Halloween costume meets Leafs star
Auston Matthews has come face to face with his look-alike. On Thursday, the Maple Leafs star met seven-year-old Grayson Joseph, who went viral for dressing up as an Auston Matthews hockey card.
'You never know what you're going to find': Halifax junk remover shares some of his company's strangest discoveries
A Halifax junk remover shares some of his company’s strangest discoveries.
'Smiles per gallon': B.C. man creates Canadian-themed art car with stuffed moose on roof
When Leah arrived at work directing traffic around a construction site, she never expected to see a van painted in all sorts of bright colours, and covered in eclectic decorations, including a stuffed moose attached to its roof.