OTTAWA — Participants in a federal public inquiry are calling on Ottawa to take bolder action against foreign interference by making effective use of legal tools, closing loopholes and fostering public education.
The commission of inquiry into meddling from abroad heard closing submissions Thursday from counsel for political parties, diaspora and human rights groups, and the federal government.
Neil Chantler, representing the Chinese Canadian Concern Group, said people of Chinese descent experience death threats, harassment, coercion, cyberattacks and pervasive misinformation and disinformation campaigns intended to silence opinions and dissuade participation in Canadian democracy. Evidence presented at the inquiry supports the idea that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and the Liberals have put image over substance and party before country on"what should be the deadly serious matter of foreign interference," said Nando De Luca, a lawyer for the Conservative party.
One of the key challenges facing the inquiry in its fact-finding role is to provide the public with a clear, evidence-based assessment of the effects of foreign interference, said Aaron Shull of the Centre for International Governance Innovation. He called for"real transparency with appropriate safeguards" for the protection of national security.
"Canada's understanding of foreign interference and our defences against foreign interference are strong," he said.
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