Defence Minister Bill Blair testified before the Procedure and House Affairs committee (PROC) on October 24th regarding the Chinese regime’s targeting of MPs. He expressed his disappointment that the security apparatus of Canada did not inform him of these efforts. Mr. Blair was speaking in relation to the Conservative MP Michael Chong, who was one of the MPs targeted by Beijing. The committee raised the issue in reference to a Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) Issues Management Brief (IMB) from May 31, 2021. This document had been sent to Mr. Blair, his deputy minister, his chief of staff, and the prime minister’s National Security and Intelligence Advisor (NSIA).
The IMB warned of the threat to Mr. Chong and another MP, Kenny Chiu, from multiple Chinese regime “threat actors,” including the Ministry of State Security. CSIS had previously informed the government through two separate intelligence briefs that Beijing was pursuing members of Parliament. Mr. Blair stated that he sincerely believed it was the director’s intent to make the information available to him, but the necessary steps were not taken by CSIS or the Department of Public Safety. He explained that, under normal circumstances, CSIS Director David Vigneault would advise his office of any information requiring briefing.
When Mr. Vigneault had testified before PROC in June, he stated that the information had been sent to the Department of Public Safety, which was the proper procedure. Mr. Blair mentioned that he and his chief of staff did not have access to the secure email system where the IMB was sent. Mr. Blair’s former deputy minister, Rob Stewart, who is currently the deputy minister of International Trade, testified on October 19th but could not recall if he had read the CSIS note. He emphasized that it was not his responsibility to brief Mr. Blair on such matters.
It was pointed out that the CSIS assessment on Beijing’s interference, which mentioned the targeting of MPs without naming them, did not reach any ministers. Mike MacDonald, acting NSIA at the time, claimed he did not receive it and only found out about it through media reports. David Morrison, who served as NSIA after Mr. MacDonald, admitted to reading the assessment but decided not to brief the prime minister, as it was considered a report for awareness and not a memorandum for action. The IMB was sent to then-NSIA Vincent Rigby, but he claimed to have learned about it through the newspapers.
The breakdown in communication leading to ministers being unaware of the CSIS IMB was noted in a report by special rapporteur David Johnston. However, he did not mention that it had also been sent to the NSIA, only referencing Mr. Blair, his chief of staff, and Mr. Stewart. Following Mr. Johnston’s resignation in June, a public inquiry into foreign interference was initiated by the Liberal government. Commissioner Marie-Josée Hogue began her work on September 18th and is expected to submit an interim report by February 2024.