UNDER THE RADAR — A bombshell story dropped Monday alleging the Chinese government attempted to interfere in the 2019 federal election by funding "at least 11 candidates" from its Toronto consulate. Sources said the "alleged election interference network included members from both the Liberal and Conservative parties." So why isn’t SAM COOPER's mega-scoop for Global News, which claimed the prime minister had been briefed on the allegations by the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS), sending shockwaves up and down Parliament Hill? "Some, but not all, members of the alleged network are witting affiliates of the Chinese Communist Party," Cooper wrote. — Anatomy of a sleeper story: One China watcher who knows the Hill inside and out floated the theory that Cooper's story was tough to match because few reporters have the intelligence sources to back up the reporting. The Hill vet acknowledged the government might have wanted to keep any allegations quiet while MICHAEL KOVRIG and MICHAEL SPAVOR remained in Chinese custody. And no government would risk exposing intelligence assets. But the public's right to know about foreign interference, they said, eventually requires the Liberals to talk about it in some detail. Do Conservatives have reason to limit the noise they make about the CSIS scoop? After all, the ranks of the alleged interference network reportedly included Tories — witting or not. No way, said the China watcher. Conservatives could win points for looking inward as part of a broader inspection of Canada's political system. — Echoes of a former leader: A few months after his ouster as Tory bench boss, ERIN O'TOOLE told the Uncommons pod that Chinese foreign interference could have played a role in the defeat of as many as nine Conservatives in the 2021 election . — What the PM has said: Asked about Cooper's story at a Monday press conference, Prime Minister JUSTIN TRUDEAU made headlines limited largely to the international press . "We have taken significant measures to strengthen the integrity of our elections processes and our systems, and will continue to invest in the fight against election interference, against foreign interference of our democracies and institutions," he said. "Unfortunately, we're seeing countries, state actors from around the world, whether it's China or others, are continuing to play aggressive games with our institutions, with our democracies." Needless to say, that intervention left the National Post's JOHN IVISON unimpressed . — What the foreign minister has said: At a Wednesday speech outlining the broad strokes of a highly anticipated federal Indo-Pacific strategy, MÉLANIE JOLY was firm when asked about interference by Munk School moderator PETER LOEWEN. "We won't let any foreign actor meddle in our democracy. Period," she said. — Policy solutions: Intel expert JESSICA DAVIS encouraged the government to require foreign agents to register their roles and responsibilities with Ottawa. It's a suggestion that's come up before at the House committee on Canada-China relations. The feds even wrote a briefing note about the registry concept in 2021 . Davis also advocated for improved transparency on political donations. — What's next? Conservative foreign affairs critic MICHAEL CHONG called Monday for "a robust plan to counter Beijing's foreign interference operations here on Canadian soil." Chong's news release said the Canada-China committee was revived in June to study this sort of thing. At a Wednesday press conference in Vancouver, Conservative leader PIERRE POILIEVRE preferred that a different committee — procedure and House affairs — study the allegations. PROC, as it's known in Hill vernacular, has already been studying foreign interference more broadly. On Nov. 9, Tory MP MICHAEL COOPER and every opposition MP around that table sent a meeting request to committee chair BARDISH CHAGGER. Poilievre wants to learn "what the PM knew" about CSIS's claims and "why he did nothing" — if that is, in fact, the case. Keep an eye on PROC's meeting list .
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