A foreign government tried to get a Liberal candidate defeated and a former parliamentarian is suspected of having worked to influence parliamentary business on behalf of a foreign government, the public inquiry into interference in Canadian politics was told Friday.
Officials from the Canadian Security and Intelligence Service (CSIS) unveiled two new examples of such foreign interference, in addition to four examples that had been released publicly.
Officials did not name the countries suspected in the newest examples of foreign interference, or the parliamentarians involved.
Officials said China is the country most actively trying to interfere in Canada’s affairs, followed by India. They also warned that the conflict in the Middle East could lead Iran to interfere in the next federal election.
China, India have tiny attempts and smaller successes at influence compared to the thousands of corporate lobbyists that meet with Canadian politicians every year.
What about the influence of the construction industry? Property developers outright own provincial and municipal politics in Ontario. Big tech?
Oil?!?
How about all the huge military and consulting companies that place 50% of the labour in govt workplaces and suck a 25% margin off each one?
Most of those aren’t domestically owned either.