Trudeau's top aide Telford to testify, amid Hill drama over foreign interference
After weeks of resistance, and ahead of a vote that could have compelled it to happen, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s office announced Tuesday that his chief of staff Katie Telford will testify about foreign election interference, before a committee that has been studying the issue for months.
“While there are serious constraints on what can be said in public about sensitive intelligence matters, in an effort to make Parliament work, Ms. Telford has agreed to appear at the Procedure and House Affairs Committee as part of their study,” Trudeau's office said in a statement.
“Foreign interference is not a partisan issue," Trudeau's office said, while pointing to the suite of measures the prime minister has announced, including appointing David Johnston as a new special rapporteur, and tapping federal national security review bodies to dig into concerns around election interference. Johnston's mandate and scope of his role was revealed on Tuesday.
This move was an apparent effort to find a compromise with the NDP, who had threatened to help the Conservatives pass a motion on Tuesday that would have seen Telford and numerous other federal officials testify as part of an entirely new committee study.
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh told reporters that his party was prepared to vote in favour of the motion, unless the Liberals stopped their filibuster at the Procedure and House Affairs Committee (PROC) on an outstanding call to hear from Trudeau’s top aide.
Shortly after Telford's agreement to testify was reported, the approximately 24 hours of impasse at PROC broke, with the committee of MPs agreeing to ask Telford to appear before mid-April for at least two hours, under oath and on her own.
"It's important that we're able to get to the heart of this matter, find out what Ms. Telford knew, when she knew it," said Conservative MP Michael Barrett at committee. Though, given the “constraints” the PMO has flagged, it remains to be seen what kind of detail she’ll be able to offer the committee during what will be a public hearing.
"The Conservatives are trying to gin up the toxicity and partisanship by making a political theatre out of it and by catching Ms. Telford or others in not being able to answer direct questions," Trudeau told reporters on his way into question period.
Trudeau said the key questions around the allegations of what he did or didn't do, knew or didn't know, will be answered in "responsible ways" through the processes his government has advanced.
"That's where the answers are going to come," Trudeau said.
This will not be the first time Telford has testified before a parliamentary committee. She’s appeared previously to speak about the WE Charity controversy as well as the issue of sexual misconduct in the Canadian Armed Forces. Most recently, she testified under oath as part of the Public Order Emergency Commission into the government’s use of the Emergencies Act.
The committee has also agreed to invite the national Liberal and Conservative campaign directors from the 2019 and 2021 elections to appear, as well as former top Conservative PMO official Jenni Byrne and then-Conservative leader Erin O’Toole’s chief of staff Tauscha Michaud.
This development came after Trudeau confirmed that the vote that took place after question period on the Conservative motion would not be a matter of confidence, because it went to "how important the issue of foreign interference is."
Taking risking an election call over an election interference controversy—which could have been the result of a failed confidence vote given the Liberals' minority standing—off the table, Trudeau said he wanted to handle the issue differently and with less partisanship than the Official Opposition.
There had been some question whether the Liberals would make the Conservative motion a confidence vote, to potentially force the NDP to side with the government to squash the Bloc Quebecois-backed push for a new probe.
However, Singh—without his hands tied by desire to keep the supply-and-confidence deal alive—outlined a clear line in the sand, that the Liberals met.
"If the Liberal government, if Justin Trudeau doesn't stop the obstruction that's going on in committee, if Justin Trudeau doesn't allow his chief of staff to testify, we will force him to do so, by voting with the opposition,” Singh said earlier Tuesday, pointing still to a public inquiry rather than a parliamentary study as the more apt venue for further investigation into this topic.
"Right now there's a lot of serious questions about what the Prime Minister's Office knew, when they knew it, and what they did about that. We would prefer that there was a public inquiry that was investigating this and finding out those answers. In the meantime, these questions are very important and so we want to make sure that Canadians have an opportunity to hear what was known, and when it was known, and what was done with that information," Singh said.
Trudeau has committed that, should Johnston recommend a public inquiry, the federal government would abide by that advice, which is now slated to be received by the end of May. The NDP had tried on Tuesday to have the House vote on calling a public inquiry but accused the Conservatives of blocking that attempt.
Directing a question at Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre during question period—as Poilievre did to him on Monday in an effort to pressure the NDP to side with them —Singh asked him what he had to hide.
"We forced this government to end the obstruction at committee…. Rendering the Conservative motion useless, which is not surprising because they just want to play games," Singh said.
After question period, Poilievre's motion that MPs spent most of Monday debating failed to pass. The proposal sought to have the House instruct the opposition-dominated Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics Committee (ETHI) to strike a fresh study into Chinese interference in the last two federal elections.
That motion contained clear instructions that the committee call Telford to testify under oath, followed by numerous other federal officials and party players believed to have insight into allegations of meddling during the 2019 and 2021 campaigns. The Conservatives also wanted ETHI to have priority access to House resources to facilitate what would have been more than a dozen additional hours of testimony.
Also on the Conservatives' proposed witness list: authors of the Critical Election Incident Public Protocol reports for the 2019 and 2021 elections James Judd and Morris Rosenberg, respectively, former Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation officials, and current and former ambassadors to China.
During his time as democratic reform minister under former Conservative prime minister Stephen Harper, Poilievre was opposed to having staff testify at committees. Now, Poilievre’s position has been that because Telford was involved with Trudeau's campaigns, from his leadership bid through the last two federal elections, she would be aware of all of the intelligence briefings he'd been provided.
"It took weeks of pressure for the prime minister to back down and flip flop, but allow only one of his top advisors, one of the key people who was involved in the campaigns that Beijing helped the liberal party win in multiple elections, but what we really need is the full truth," he said during question period Tuesday.
Even with the Conservatives, Bloc Quebecois, Green Party and independent MPs voting in support of the motion, it was defeated by a vote of 147 to 177 with the Liberals and NDP voting against, to the backdrop of boos from inside the House chamber.
"This is evidence in my opinion, of Parliament working," Government House Leader Mark Holland told reporters of the Telford testimony compromise despite Liberal MPs spending days of committee time talking out the clock in order to avoid this outcome.
"We've attempted to put forward the people that we thought best had information, but we also want Parliament to work and so we listen to the opposition parties and attempt to work with them. That is by necessity, a process of negotiation and back and forth… There's disagreements along the way, but I think that's a natural part of this process," Holland said.
Framing this apparent compromise as an effort to make Parliament "work," Holland was echoing wording used by both the NDP and Liberals in the launch of their agreement that's coming up on its one-year anniversary on Wednesday.
All of this was sparked by The Globe and Mail and Global News reports, citing largely unnamed intelligence sources, alleging specific attempts by Beijing to alter election outcomes, and what the opposition thinks is an insufficient response by the Liberal government. PROC has been studying the issue of foreign interference since November.
Officials have repeatedly asserted the integrity of both elections held, despite China's interference efforts.
IN DEPTH
'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.
Trudeau, key election players to testify at foreign interference hearings. What you need to know
The public hearings portion of the federal inquiry into foreign interference in Canadian elections and democratic institutions are picking back up this week. Here's what you need to know.
Who is supporting, opposing new online harms bill?
Now that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's sweeping online harms legislation is before Parliament, allowing key stakeholders, major platforms, and Canadians with direct personal experience with abuse to dig in and see what's being proposed, reaction is streaming in. CTVNews.ca has rounded up reaction, and here's how Bill C-63 is going over.
As Poilievre sides with Smith on trans restrictions, former Conservative candidate says he's 'playing with fire'
Siding with Alberta Premier Danielle Smith on her proposed restrictions on transgender youth, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre confirmed Wednesday that he is against trans and non-binary minors using puberty blockers.
TREND LINE What Nanos' tracking tells us about Canadians' mood, party preference heading into 2024
Heading into a new year, Canadians aren't feeling overly optimistic about the direction the country is heading, with the number of voters indicating negative views about the federal government's performance at the highest in a decade, national tracking from Nanos Research shows.
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
BREAKING Israel attacks Iran, Reuters sources say; drones reported over Isfahan
Israel has attacked Iran, three people familiar with the matter told Reuters, as Iranian state media reported early on Friday that its forces had destroyed drones, days after Iran launched a retaliatory drone strike on Israel.
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer denied bail after being charged with killing Canadian couple
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer, one of two men charged in the killings of a Canadian couple in Dominica, has been denied bail.
Nearly half of China's major cities are sinking, researchers say
Nearly half of China's major cities are suffering 'moderate to severe' levels of subsidence, putting millions at risk of flooding especially as sea levels rise.
Prince Harry formally confirms he is now a U.S. resident
Prince Harry, the son of King Charles III and fifth in line to the British throne, has formally confirmed he is now a U.S. resident.
Judge says 'no evidence fully supports' murder case against Umar Zameer as jury starts deliberations
The judge presiding over the trial of a man accused of fatally running over a Toronto police officer is telling jurors the possible verdicts they may reach based on the evidence in the case.
Health Canada to change sperm donor screening rules for men who have sex with men
Health Canada will change its longstanding policy restricting gay and bisexual men from donating to sperm banks in Canada, CTV News has learned. The federal health agency has adopted a revised directive removing the ban on gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men, effective May 8.
Colin Jost names one celebrity who is great at hosting 'Saturday Night Live'
Colin Jost, who co-anchors Saturday Night Live's 'Weekend Update,' revealed who he thinks is one of the best hosts on the show.
Sports columnist apologizes for 'oafish' comments directed at Caitlin Clark. The controversy isn't over
A male columnist has apologized for a cringeworthy moment during former University of Iowa superstar and college basketball's highest scorer Caitlin Clark's first news conference as an Indiana Fever player.
'Shopaholic' author Sophie Kinsella reveals brain cancer diagnosis
Sophie Kinsella, the best-selling author behind the 'Shopaholic' book series, has revealed that she is receiving treatment for brain cancer.
Local Spotlight
Cat found on Toronto Pearson airport runway 3 days after going missing
Kevin the cat has been reunited with his family after enduring a harrowing three-day ordeal while lost at Toronto Pearson International Airport earlier this week.
Molly on a mission: N.S. student collecting books about women in sport for school library
Molly Knight, a grade four student in Nova Scotia, noticed her school library did not have many books on female athletes, so she started her own book drive in hopes of changing that.
Where did the gold go? Crime expert weighs in on unfolding Pearson airport heist investigation
Almost 7,000 bars of pure gold were stolen from Pearson International Airport exactly one year ago during an elaborate heist, but so far only a tiny fraction of that stolen loot has been found.
Marmot in the city: New resident of North Vancouver's Lower Lonsdale a 'rock star rodent'
When Les Robertson was walking home from the gym in North Vancouver's Lower Lonsdale neighbourhood three weeks ago, he did a double take. Standing near a burrow it had dug in a vacant lot near East 1st Street and St. Georges Avenue was a yellow-bellied marmot.
Relocated seal returns to Greater Victoria after 'astonishing' 204-kilometre trek
A moulting seal who was relocated after drawing daily crowds of onlookers in Greater Victoria has made a surprise return, after what officials described as an 'astonishing' six-day journey.
Ottawa barber shop steps away from Parliament Hill marks 100 years in business
Just steps from Parliament Hill is a barber shop that for the last 100 years has catered to everyone from prime ministers to tourists.
'It was a special game': Edmonton pinball player celebrates high score and shout out from game designer
A high score on a Foo Fighters pinball machine has Edmonton player Dave Formenti on a high.
'How much time do we have?': 'Contamination' in Prairie groundwater identified
A compound used to treat sour gas that's been linked to fertility issues in cattle has been found throughout groundwater in the Prairies, according to a new study.
'Why not do it together?': Lifelong friends take part in 'brosectomy' in Vancouver
While many people choose to keep their medical appointments private, four longtime friends decided to undergo vasectomies as a group in B.C.'s Lower Mainland.