Canada Launches Probe Into Chinese Election Interference Charges [Video]

Montreal:

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Monday announced the appointment of an independent special rapporteur to probe alleged Chinese interference in Canada’s last two federal elections.

In recent weeks, a series of reports in the Canadian media, based on intelligence leaks, have detailed alleged attempts by Beijing to interfere in those elections.

That allegedly involved secret financing or involvement in the campaign of certain candidates during voting in 2019 and 2021.

China has firmly denied the charges, calling them “defamatory.”

The new rapporteur, who will be named in the coming days, will be responsible for making “expert recommendations on combating interference and strengthening our democracy” said Trudeau, adding that he had also appointed two committees to investigate foreign interference.

This announcement came after opposition parties had been calling for days for an independent public inquiry into the issue. One of the first tasks of the special rapporteur will be to advise the government on the next steps to take, including …