Question on Chinese election interference is racist, Justin Trudeau suggests
Justin Trudeau has suggested that questions about Chinese interference in Canadian elections are racist, as he refused to give straight answers during a tense press conference.
The Liberal Prime Minister has been under pressure to explain whether Canadian security services warned his office that they had concerns that Han Dong, an MP in his own party, had received support from the Chinese consulate in Toronto.
But instead of giving a straight answer about Mr Han and potential foreign influence, Mr Trudeau said: “One of the things we’ve seen, unfortunately, over the past years is a rise in anti-Asian racism linked to the pandemic and concerns being raised or arisen around people’s loyalties.”
Canada’s Globe and Mail newspaper earlier this month reported, citing anonymous security sources, that Chinese diplomats and their proxies worked to defeat Conservative politicians considered more hostile towards Beijing during the 2021 election.
Mr Trudeau has said China has attempted to meddle in Canada’s elections, but he insists that two reports by an intelligence task force set up to study foreign influence in elections have said that the outcome of both the 2019 and 2021 elections were not altered.
Han Dong has denied being involved in a foreign plot, even as another report in the Globe and Mail said that intelligence services urged senior Liberal Party staff to rescind his nomination.
Asked about the allegations, Mr Trudeau said: “There are 1.7 million Canadians who proudly trace their origins back to China. Those Canadians should always be welcomed as full Canadians and encouraged to stand for office.
“In a free democracy it is not up to unelected security officials to dictate to political parties who can or cannot run.”
In an attempt to seek clarification, CBC reporter Lorenda Reddekopp asked: “Are you saying that they didn’t warn you? Or were you warned and you chose to dismiss it for those reasons?”
Mr Trudeau then referenced what he described as a rise in anti-Asian racism linked to the pandemic before adding: “I want to make everyone understand fully: Han Dong is an outstanding member of our team, and suggestions that he is somehow not loyal to Canada should not be entertained.”
In a written statement, Mr Han said he would support efforts from parliamentarians to investigate alleged interference.
“I strongly reject the insinuations in media reporting that allege I have played a role in offshore interference in these processes and will defend myself vigorously against such inaccurate and irresponsible claims that come from an unverified and anonymous source,” he wrote.
