A supplementary ethics committee report filed by the Conservatives on Tuesday blasts the Trudeau Foundation as a vehicle for alleged foreign influence on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and accuses the Liberal government of using illicit interference as a means to further restrict speech in Canada.
The report was released in tandem with yesterday’s publication by the Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy, and Ethics following an inquiry into foreign interference.
It accuses Liberal, NDP and Bloc Quebecois members of the committee of “suppressing” Conservative concerns and recommendations during the inquiry.
“Conservatives note that the Liberal government knew the Communist Party of China was interfering in Canada’s democracy for years and had they not been the beneficiary of this foreign interference the Liberals may have taken action, rather than reacting to sustained public and political pressure,” the report alleges.
On the issue of the $140,000 donation by a Chinese businessman with ties to the Communist Party of China to the Trudeau Foundation, the Conservatives allege that the committee report left many questions unanswered.
“It is clear, through testimony heard by the committee from current and former members of the Trudeau Foundation, that the foundation had no bylaws for foreign interference, no oversight of donations, and no due diligence done of donations,” the report reads.
“Seemingly, it was the perfect conduit for a foreign dictatorship to influence Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. The interference operation was proven successful as the two cutouts had direct access to the Prime Minister within five months of the donation.”
As a result, the Conservatives recommended that the government undertake a forensic audit of the foundation.
The official committee report deemed allegations about the Trudeau Foundation to be inconclusive and lacking enough evidence to make a statement on.
“In light of the evidence, the committee cannot take a definitive position on this case,” wrote the committee in its report.
In a statement to True North, Conservative ethics critic Michael Barrett accused Trudeau of failing to act on threats to Canada’s democracy and pledged to introduce a foreign agent registry if elected.
“After eight years of Trudeau’s failure to take threats of foreign interference seriously, our elections have been meddled in and Canadians have been subject to harassment and intimidation at the hands of hostile foreign regimes,” Barrett told True North.
“Justin Trudeau is not worth the cost to our sovereignty and public safety. Common sense Conservatives will put the safety and security of Canadians first by shutting down illegal foreign police stations once and for all and introducing a foreign agent registry.”
