Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre responded Wednesday to questions about money he received from self-described friends of India’s ruling party, saying he could not screen all donors.
At a campaign stop, Poilievre was asked about a Global News report showing the founders of an organization set up to elect Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had helped finance his leadership bid.
“I received 37,000 separate donations that anybody can make online,” Poilievre said. “We don’t have the capacity to do CSIS background checks on every single person who makes those 37,000 donations.”
Elections Canada records show the former leaders of the Overseas Friends of BJP Canada, formed in 2013 to bring Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party to power, donated thousands to Poilievre’s leadership campaign.
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The former leaders of the now-defunct non-profit also contributed to the Conservative party, hosted Poilievre at events, met with him and promoted him on social media as Canada’s next prime minister.
The matter has raised concerns about the Conservative leader at a sensitive …