INSIGHT: CHINA - Foreign Interference Commission's interim report concludes foreign meddling occurred, but electoral

foreign interference did occur, impacting a “small number of ridings” and leaving a “stain on our electoral • In Don Valley North, a “safe” Liberal seat, Beijing may process.” Hogue did not attempt to reconcile some of have swayed who was elected to Parliament by allegedly the contradictory testimony offered at the hearings meddling in the 2019 Liberal Party nomination contest. [...] to Beijing sought to dissuade Chinese Canadians from voting for the Conservative candidate, who was IN BRIEF painted by the disinformation campaign organizers as ‘anti-China.’ The commission determined that these • Following more than two weeks of public and in- false narratives could have contributed to the defeat camera hearings, the commission determined that the of the Conservative candidate i. [...] For also briefly mentioned the alleged activities of India, instance, according to the report, the non-partisan including the provision of illicit funds to preferred body of senior civil servants responsible for notifying candidates in the lead-up to Canada’s 2021 election, and the public of attempted foreign meddling –– known as concludes that there were no “shortcomings with respect the Panel of. [...] financial support, bribery, blackmail, cyberattacks, likely to offer recommendations to improve how disinformation campaigns [in foreign-language media], intelligence and information are communicated and the use of proxies” — the commission found the to elected officials, political parties, the public, most common way foreign governments coerce and and diaspora communities; how Canadians can be ma. [...] The bill includes roles and responsibilities of certain actors, resulting amendments to the CSIS Act, amendments to the in “only general information with few specifics” Security of Information Act, Criminal Code, and Canada being discussed in briefings.