愛污传媒

Skip to main content

Ahead of Telford testimony, Trudeau says they've discussed foreign interference 'many' times

Share

Ahead of Friday testimony from his chief of staff on foreign election interference, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says he and Katie Telford have talked about the issue "many" times over the years.

"The conversations I have with my chief of staff, and with my entire government, and with our defence and security experts, are ongoing," Trudeau told reporters on Thursday. "We have been talking about foreign interference for years."

The prime minister said he's had "many" conversations specifically with Telford.

"Many of them, over long periods of times, over many years, because it's an issue that needs to be taken seriously."

After weeks of resistance, and ahead of a vote in the House of Commons that could have compelled it to happen, Trudeau's office agreed that Telford would testify before the Procedure and House Affairs Committee. 

The committee has been studying the issue for months, and has wanted to hear from Telford about what she knew and when, in light of the prime minister dodging various efforts from reporters and opposition parties to offer specifics.

He's previously said the key questions around the allegations of what he did or didn't do, knew or didn't know, would be answered in "responsible ways" through the processes his government has advanced.

Over the last few months, Trudeau has rolled out a suite of measures and reviews into the issue of foreign meddling in response to calls for the federal Liberals to take seriously the numerous headlines and accusations surrounding China's attempts to interfere in the 2019 and 2021 federal campaigns.

Federal officials have restated numerous times that despite foreign efforts, the integrity of both elections was upheld, pointing to various public service and expert oversight mechanisms set up since 2015 to help monitor, detect, and counter attempts to interfere in Canadian affairs.

It's expected Telford's appearance鈥斺攚ill be done under oath. Trudeau's top aide is appearing on her own, with no other witnesses scheduled for Friday. 

The PMO has already cautioned that there will be "serious constraints" on what Telford would be able to say in public about sensitive intelligence matters.

This won't be the first time Telford has testified before a parliamentary committee, or in a situation where she's sworn to tell the truth.

She鈥檚 appeared previously before MPs to speak about the WE Charity controversy as well as the issue of sexual misconduct in the Canadian Armed Forces. Most recently, she testified under oath as part of the Public Order Emergency Commission into the government鈥檚 use of the Emergencies Act. 

IN DEPTH

Opinion

opinion

opinion Don Martin: How a beer break may have doomed the carbon tax hike

When the Liberal government chopped a planned beer excise tax hike to two per cent from 4.5 per cent and froze future increases until after the next election, says political columnist Don Martin, it almost guaranteed a similar carbon tax move in the offing.

CTVNews.ca Top Stories

The president and CEO of New Brunswick-based Covered Bridge Potato Chips is taking an 'extended leave of absence' after being charged with domestic violence this past weekend.

A memorial is growing outside a Walmart in Halifax after a 19-year-old employee was found dead inside an oven in the store Saturday night.

A search has started at Prairie Green Landfill for the remains of two victims of a serial killer.

He is a familiar face to residents of a neighbourhood just west of Roncesvalles Avenue.

Canada's discount airline is suspending operations to and from Saskatoon.

A new report suggests that Canadians' exposure to a radioactive gas is increasing, putting millions of people at a higher risk of developing lung cancer.

Local Spotlight

He is a familiar face to residents of a neighbourhood just west of Roncesvalles Avenue.

A meteor lit up our region's sky last night 鈥 with a large fireball shooting across the horizon over Lake Erie at around 7:00 p.m.

Residents of Ottawa's Rideauview neighbourhood say an aggressive wild turkey has become a problem.

A man who lost his life while trying to rescue people from floodwaters, and a 13-year-old boy who saved his family from a dog attack, are among the Nova Scotians who received a medal for bravery Tuesday.

A newly minted Winnipegger is hoping a world record attempt will help bring awareness for the need for more pump track facilities in the city.

A Springfield, Ont. man is being hailed a 'hero' after running into his burning home to save his two infant children.

Hortense Anglin was the oldest graduate to make her way across the platform at York University's Fall Convocation ceremony this week. At the age of 87, she graduated with an Honours degree in Religious Studies.

Looking for a scare with good intentions this Halloween season? The ghosts and ghouls of Eganville, Ont. invite families to tour the Haunted Walk at Lekbor Manor.

The image of a sleepy Saskatchewan small town with 'not a lot going on' is a well-known anecdote. However, one Saskatchewan company is hoping to change that 鈥 and allow communities both on and off the beaten path to share their stories and advertise what they have to offer.

Stay Connected