Frank Caputo in the House of Commons, March 7, 2023 (image credit - CPAC)

By Michael Reeve

CHINESE INTERFERENCE

‘I expect this will take months, if not years’; Kamloops MP calls for public inquiry into foreign interference

Mar 7, 2023 | 4:09 PM

KAMLOOPS — The Conservative Party of Canada, along with the NDP and Bloc Quebecois, has called for a public inquiry into alleged election interference from China. Regardless of the cross-party opposition support, the prime minister has yet to take that step.

“Well, the public inquiry is ultimately up to the prime minister. The meeting of the Procedure and House Affairs Committee has asked for it and voted on it. Essentially the will of parliament is there be a public inquiry, and I will note the Liberals all voted against it, so these are people who should be standing up for our democracy,” said Kamloops-Thompson-Cariboo MP Frank Caputo.

Instead, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced that he will appoint a special rapporteur to conduct an investigation into the claims.

“This is going to be a hand-picked person by the prime minister,” said Caputo. “Not necessarily independent, not independently picked by all parties of parliament. Somebody who the prime minister is picking who will meet in secret.”

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TRU political studies professor Robert Hanlon believes the investigation is the very least that government could do.

“I still have some reservations about how the process will work but I think the Liberals were drawn into a corner with this and needed to come up with some kind of plan they could roll out to the public,” said Hanlon.

Hanlon agreed that a full public inquiry should be held but noted the Canadian Security Intelligence Service has said it can’t say anymore publicly. The professor also warned of the latest scandal taking over Ottawa.

“Canadians are really hurting from inflation, housing, there are real social and economic concerns in this country. And if you looked at CPAC or the House of Commons today in question period, it was like a whole bunch of kindergarten kids not following the rules, yelling at each other. Is that going to be what we are going to see over the next couple of months? I hope not,” stated Hanlon.

Caputo stated that he believes the investigation is a stall tactic by government.

“Then you have a report commissioned behind closed doors — further delay. And then if that committee comes out and says we need a public inquiry — further delay. I expect this will take months if not years and we will be well into the next election. This is simply a delay and stall tactic. I believe we should have a public inquiry starting tomorrow,” said Caputo.

The Tories and Bloc have also requested that the prime minister’s chief of staff testify under oath, that was denied by the Liberals, through a filibuster on Tuesday (March 7) in Ottawa.