Canada roiled by leaked intelligence reports of Chinese election ‘meddling’ – By Leyland Cecco (The Guardian) / Mar 7, 2023
Trudeau resists calls for public inquiry as leaks spark fierce debate and threaten to dent country’s reputation with allies
A flurry of leaked intelligence reports has reignited allegations that China interfered in Canada’s recent federal elections, kicking off a fierce debate over possible responses to Beijing’s meddling.
But the leaks also run the risk of harming Canada’s reputation among its allies, experts warn, as the country’s spy agency struggles to respond to mounting public concern.
Opposition leaders have pushed the prime minister, Justin Trudeau, for a public inquiry into how China attempted to sway the result of two federal elections in its favour.
On Monday evening, Trudeau announced he would appoint a special rapporteur to investigate foreign interference allegations, as well as the creation of a foreign agent registry.
