Given Trudeau’s past use of government power, we can expect a relentless effort to root out those officials who are trying to warn Canada about our institutions being compromised by a foreign power.
Let’s take a moment to consider the situation facing Canada.
Officials within our national security establishment are so concerned by China’s interference in our democratic institutions, and so disturbed by the lack of government action to address the interference, that they are left with little choice but to leak the details to the press in the hope that national outrage will lead to change.
And in response to those leaks, the Prime Minister is hiding behind accusations of ‘racism’ and is insinuating that CSIS is itself trying to interfere in the political process:
Trudeau under fire for defending MP Ham Dong despite CSIS flagging him for possible China collusion. Trudeau dismissed the concerns and suggested unelected officials shouldn't choose who can run. Critics slam his comments as a gaslighting of CSIS and a risk to national security pic.twitter.com/6TJCeb8NSr
— Dan Knight (@DanKnightMMA) February 27, 2023
CSIS has never claimed they get to decide who runs.
CSIS simply provided advice to the Liberals based on their assessment that a Liberal candidate had been unduly assisted by China, and suggested that his nomination should be rescinded.
The decision was left to Justin Trudeau and the Liberal Party.
They chose not to rescind the nomination.
And now, they are engulfed in a scandal.
Pick a fight with CSIS or defend Canada’s institutions? Trudeau has made his choice.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau could have chosen to acknowledge the legitimacy of concerns regarding China’s interference in Canada’s institutions.
China has interfered in other countries in a similar way, most notably Australia.
Trudeau could even have expressed some gratitude for the fact that Canada has an intelligence and national security community that is trying to preserve our democratic system and ensure that Canadians – not a foreign country – decides our elections.
But instead, Trudeau has chosen to pick a fight with CSIS. Given his demonstrable willingness to use government power, we can expect a relentless attempt to root out and punish the whistleblowers who are trying to warn Canadians of our compromised institutions.
Trudeau is already setting up the rhetorical groundwork for this, attempting to cast CSIS in a negative light – the same way he is accusing those concerned about China’s election interference of being ‘racist.’
It is an attempt to deflect from the real issue, and give Liberal partisans a target to direct their anger towards.
It’s cynical, divisive, and dangerous, because a rift between the security establishment and the federal government isn’t something Canada can afford at a time when countries like China, Russia, and Iran are attempting to sow discord and division within the Western world.
By putting his own short-term political interest above Canada’s national security, Justin Trudeau is further eroding our already fracturing institutions and leaves our country more vulnerable.
Spencer Fernando
Photo – Twitter
