Interim RCMP commissioner Duheme 'very concerned' about foreign interference
As questions continue to swirl around the issue of other countries' meddling in Canadian affairs, interim RCMP Commissioner Michael Duheme says he's "very, very concerned" about foreign interference, and would like to see the national force be able to use intelligence as evidence in its investigations.
In an interview on CTV's Question Period with Vassy Kapelos airing on Sunday, Duheme was asked if, given all that has recently been alleged regarding China interfering in federal elections and the years of warnings from various national security agencies, he thinks a public inquiry is warranted.
Duheme said that while it is not up to him to judge what steps the federal government should take, he shares others’ worries about the issue of foreign interference.
"I've seen it through a criminal lens, as to what we've been involved with; foreign actor interference. And I also see it through when the service briefs the round table at the deputy minister level. So yes, I am very, very concerned."
He said he'd like to see the work underway to examine how to improve the ways Canadian national security agencies collaborate and share information about foreign interference include looking at ways to change legislation to allow the RCMP to use intelligence garnered by CSIS, as evidence.
As it stands, information collected by Canada's spy agency may be informative, but it often cannot be used in criminal investigations.
"I believe there are efforts to be made to change legislation," Duheme said. "This has been discussed for numerous years. And there's good work that's been done with the service [CSIS] and as well as the RCMP. But, I think we have to take it one step further and really, really, really drill down and see what the options are, so we can overcome the question of intel into evidence."
Duheme said he'd "definitely" like to be able to use more intelligence as evidence, but he understands the challenges around how that intelligence is sometimes collected. It's something the two federal agencies have been working on for several years, he said.
"You don't want to reveal any trade secrets of how this is collected. And again, for a criminal investigation, you have to be able to demonstrate how the investigation began. And with the full and frank disclosure that we face… that is challenging sometimes when you want to use some intelligence that's not accessible or cannot be used for law enforcement purposes," Duheme said.
"I'm hoping we can land [on] a solution where we can use intelligence in our criminal investigations."
Conversation around delineating the difference between intelligence and evidence has come up during the recent parliamentary committee hearings on the issue of foreign interference, with numerous top federal security officials cautioning MPs that taking intelligence "out of context" or without the appropriate caveats can be "very pernicious."
MPs were warned that intelligence that CSIS or other national security agencies collect "rarely paints a full or concrete or actionable picture" and "almost always comes heavily caveated and qualified."
"Canadians would be better served if the debate took into account what intelligence is and what intelligence is not. And that misreading or taking out of context an intel report can lead to divisiveness, which in itself, plays into the hands of some of our adversaries," David Morrison, member of the Critical Election Incident Public Protocol and deputy minister of foreign affairs told MPs during an extended committee hearing on the issue in early March.
During his portion of testimony on the same day, Duheme told MPs that the RCMP had not received any "actionable evidence" that Mounties could use to launch an investigation, regarding foreign election interference in the last two federal campaigns. That remains the case.
Though, the interim RCMP commissioner pointed to other instances where the RCMP has investigated alleged foreign interference, including charging a Hydro-Quebec employee with spying for China, and the instances of China operating overseas "police stations" in major Canadian cities.
"We are investigating any foreign interference that is brought to our attention, and again with respect to having the right information to launch a criminal investigation," he said.
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
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.
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.
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.
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.'
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.
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.
'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.