To everyone’s surprise, New Democratic leader Jagmeet Singh claims that a “certain number” of federal MPs would have definitely “knowingly helped” foreign governments.
Mr. Singh reviewed the confidential version of the report of the Committee of Parliamentarians on National Security and Intelligence. The public version of the document, published last week, revealed that federal deputies had begun to “knowingly assist” foreign state actors, in particular by sending confidential information to Indian officials.
The committee cited as an example “knowingly or willfully ignorantly accepting funds or benefits from foreign missions or their agents that have passed through multiple hands or are otherwise disguised to conceal the source.”
“After reading the report, I am more convinced than ever of the conclusions according to which certain parliamentarians voluntarily participated in the efforts of foreign states to interfere in our policies,” declared Mr. Singh at a press briefing in Ottawa on Thursday .
Mr. Singh’s conclusions completely contradict the version of the leader of the Green Party of Canada, Elizabeth May, who also read the report. Earlier this week, she said she was relieved after reading it, and added that the document did not contain any names of current MPs who had lacked loyalty to Canada.
Questioned several times, Mr. Singh did not want to explain why his version differs so much from that of Elizabeth May, repeating that he is “more worried than yesterday”.
“There are also politicians at all levels of government who have benefited from foreign interference. Some of this behavior seems absolutely criminal and should be the subject of prosecution,” denounced the NDP leader.
The latter did not reveal the names of the parliamentarians in question, but took the liberty of making several allusions to the conservative caucus. “Pierre Poilievre does not even want to know the serious allegations affecting his party. This disqualifies him as a leader,” Mr. Singh said.
The leader of the Conservative Party has not attempted to obtain the necessary security clearance to read the full report, and he has still not committed to doing so.
Disclosure of names
After reading the report, the NDP leader believes that it is necessary to “let MPs know” that these relations with foreign states will not be tolerated.
“If there are still no consequences for MPs who knowingly help foreign governments act against Canadian interests, we will continue to be an easy target,” he said, arguing that there are ways to proceed without compromising national security.
As for MPs from his own party, Mr. Singh says he does not believe sanctions are necessary.
The Conservative Party and the Bloc Québécois demand that the government reveal these names. Under pressure since last week’s revelations, the government finally agreed to let Quebec Court of Appeal judge Marie-Josée Hogue decide on the relevance of making public the identity of parliamentarians suspected of foreign interference.
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