Thread by @MichaelChongMP

1/ Today’s Globe story is a retelling of previously aired allegations - with new info that Mr. Poilievre’s leadership campaign was targeted.

As someone who’s been targeted by foreign interference, I’d like to give my perspective.

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theglobeandmail.com/politics/artic…

2/ Mr. Poilievre won the 2022 Conservative leadership, fair & square, by attracting hundreds of thousands of Canadians of all backgrounds to the Conservative Party - many for the first time.

His campaign followed all the rules & overwhelmingly won the race with 70.7%

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3/ Hundreds of thousands of Canadians joined to vote in that race. Every one of them paid to join with a,

- personal credit card,
- personal cheque, or
- similar traceable payment method.

Membership applications with untraceable payments attached were declined.

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4/ During that race until today, Mr. Poilievre hasn’t been informed of any foreign interference targeting his leadership campaign.

That’s because the Liberal gov’t refuses to brief Mr. Poilievre on this threat.

Gov’t sources will tell the Globe, but not Mr. Poilievre.

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5/ From today’s Globe story:

“CSIS also did not have evidence that Mr. Poilievre or members of his inner circle were aware of the alleged actions.”

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6/ Justice Hogue also confirmed the Liberal government’s failure to inform Mr. Poilievre of foreign interference:

“CSIS witnesses noted that they had no reason to believe the impacted candidates would have been aware of the alleged support.”

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foreigninterferencecommission.ca/fileadmin/repo…

7/ Justice Hogue added,

“CSIS witnesses had no recollection of this intelligence being briefed to the political level, including the candidates themselves.”

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8/ If at any time Liberal government officials had information on foreign interference targeting Mr. Poilievre, they could have briefed him using Threat Reduction Measures (TRM) under Sec. 12.1 of the CSIS Act …

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9/ … just as they briefed me on May 2, 2023, when I was briefed on highly classified information about the PRC targeting me and my family.

I do not have a security clearance.

I was briefed on highly classified information under Section 12.1 TRM.

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10/ Mr. Poilievre is the Leader of His Majesty’s Official Opposition, the government-in-waiting.

So, this is the political game the Liberal gov’t is playing:

An MP can be briefed classified info. The Globe can get info via leaks. But Mr. Poilievre can’t get the info.

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11/ Some say Mr. Poilievre should get his security clearance under the Treasury Board Secretariat’s Policy on Government Security.

I don’t agree. Here’s why.

That security clearance, which is not the same one the PM and cabinet have, would muzzle Mr. Poilievre.

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12/ Former NDP Leader Tom Mulcair put it best saying:

"I agree completely with the call by Pierre Poilievre. I think Poilievre was wise not to tie his own hands. He is the leader of the Official Opposition … I would never want to be hamstrung because I looked at a government document. I would never want to be told that I can't ask all the questions I want of the government."

CTV News, June 14, 2024

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13/ These national security leaks have been going on for years.

The Liberal government has done little to stop them.

This latest leak - during an important federal election - proves the Liberals are willing to play politics with national security when it suits them.

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14/ I called for these leaks to stop in testimony at committee.

But the Liberal government has done little.

We now find ourselves in one of the most important elections of our lifetime, and the leaks are being used for Liberal partisan gain.

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openparliament.ca/committees/hou…

15/ Finally, let’s remember how we got here.

For years, the Liberals ignored foreign interference in our democracy.

And when news first broke via leaks, the Liberals first tried to deny it & sweep it under the rug. They even threw around accusations of racism.

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16/ The Liberals continue to play partisan politics with national security during an election campaign.

Let’s not let them get away with it.

For the sake of national security, the Liberals do not deserve a fourth term.

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