CMEDIA: Following last week’s report from the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS), Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau accused China of interfering in Canada’s democratic processes.
Trudeau said in a press conference on Thursday that the report provided “clear evidence” that foreign actors, “most notably China,” had attempted to influence the outcome of federal elections in 2019.
“The findings are absolutely clear: foreign actors attempted to influence the election by spreading disinformation online and amplifying divisive issues,” Trudeau said. “This was unacceptable interference in our democracy and we will always take it seriously.”
Although Trudeau did not provide details on the specific actions taken by China, he called on all Canadians to remain vigilant of attempts to sow discord or spread misinformation
Trudeau added that the government would also work to protect Canada’s electoral system from foreign interference.
Denying the allegations of election meddling the Chinese embassy in Ottawa said in a statement on Thursday the accusation was “totally groundless and irresponsible” and called on the Canadian government to “stop making such irresponsible remarks.”
In recent years relations between Canada and China have been strained over issues including the arrest of a senior Huawei executive in Vancouver, the detention of two Canadians in China, and Canada’s decision to ban Huawei from its 5G network.
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