Executive Summary
Preliminary Findings of Public Inquiry on Foreign Interference
On May 3, 2024, the Public Inquiry on Foreign Interference released a 194-page "Initial Report." The document provides an executive summary entitled "The Initial Report in a Nutshell." It is reproduced below. Warning: Readers should keep in mind that the propaganda about foreign interference is a concoction of the political police presented as fact in order to accuse those who refuse to submit to U.S. dictate of being terrorists, extremists, anti-Semites, deniers of human rights and the like in order to eliminate them in one way or another. Their only justification is that they can because they have passed laws which give them impunity. The U.S. is never identified as "a foreign interference actor" in Canada.
The impacts of foreign interference
The Initial Report is clear: foreign interference occurred in the last two Canadian general elections. While the People's Republic of China ("PRC") currently stands out as the most persistent and sophisticated foreign interference threat to Canada, the intelligence holdings examined by the Commission also identify Russia, India, Pakistan and the Islamic Republic of Iran, among other countries, as possible foreign interference actors in Canada. Given this reality, the Initial Report considers a series of questions about the 2019 and 2021 general elections, and the impact that foreign interference had on them. These questions and the Commissioner's findings are summarized below.
Did foreign interference undermine the integrity of the electoral system itself?
No. Both elections were administered with integrity at both the national and individual riding levels. Voters were able to cast their ballots and their votes were duly registered and counted
There is no evidence to the contrary.
Did foreign interference impact which party came into power in 2019 or 2021?
No, it did not. The Liberal Party would have been in government with or without foreign interference in 2019 and 2021.
Did foreign interference impact any election results at a riding level?
It is possible that results in a small number of ridings were affected, but this cannot be said with certainty. In these ridings, foreign interference could have impacted both the nomination contests and the electoral campaign, affecting who was elected to Parliament or which party won the seat.
Did foreign interference impact the broader electoral ecosystem?
It did. Regardless of the impact on specific election results, the events named in the Initial Report likely diminished the ability of some voters to cast an informed vote, thereby tainting the process. This impact has likely been slight to date but may become more severe in the future.
Did foreign interference undermine public confidence in Canadian democracy?
Regrettably, it did. Undermining faith in democracy and government is a primary aim of many of the states that engage in foreign interference. This is perhaps the greatest harm Canada has suffered as a result of foreign interference.
Did foreign interference impact everyone equally?
It did not. While all Canadians are victims of foreign interference, the means and methods of foreign interference harm diaspora communities in Canada in distinct ways. Their experiences must not be ignored, and specific attention shall be given to them.
This article was published in
Volume 54
Number 9 - September 2024
Article Link:
https://cpcml.ca/Tmlm2024/Articles/M540094.HTM
Website: www.cpcml.ca Email: editor@cpcml.ca