Public inquiry finds no evidence of Indian interference in Canada’s election process

The 2021 Canadian elections have been under scrutiny as a panel of senior officials revealed that there was no attempt by India to influence the national polls. This information came to light during the Critical Election Incident Public Protocol hearings led by Justice Marie-Josee Hogue.

While there were no alerts of foreign interference from India, a briefing note presented to the Public Inquiry highlighted Chinese interference during the election cycle. The Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) disclosed that the People’s Republic of China (PRC) clandestinely interfered in both the 2019 and 2021 general elections, targeting the principal opposition Conservative Party and its leader at the time, Erin O’Toole.

The CSIS report suggested that the Chinese interference was motivated by the perception that the Conservative Party had an anti-PRC platform. These revelations have added a new dimension to the ongoing public hearings, which are set to conclude soon with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau expected to testify.

India has vehemently denied any involvement in foreign interference activities in Canada. The Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson, Randhir Jaiswal, stated that such allegations were baseless and that it is not India’s policy to interfere in the democratic processes of other countries. However, India has been named during the hearings alongside other countries like Russia, Iran, and Pakistan in connection with conducting foreign interference activities in Canada.