 "Conservative Party leader Pierre Poilievre speaks during Question Period in the House of Commons on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, on October 29, 2024. Reuters File")
Pierre Poilievre said he won the 2022 Conservative leadership race fairly and without any help from India.
This comes amid criticism from the leaders of the Liberals, NDP, and Bloc Québécois for his refusal to obtain security clearance for classified briefings on foreign interference.
“Let’s be honest, I won the leadership fair and square,” Poilievre told reporters on Tuesday.
He said The Globe and Mail report was an attempt by the Liberal Party to discredit him. Poilievre also defended his decision to refuse national-security clearance.
“What I will not do is commit to the oath of secrecy that the Liberals want to impose on me. They don’t want me to speak about these matters, so they bring me into a dark room and say, ‘We’re going to give you a little bit of breadcrumbs of intel, and then we’ll tell you you can’t talk about this stuff anymore,’” he said.
Indian interference in Conservative Party of Canada leadership race: Report
According to a report from The Globe and Mail, which cited a source with top-secret clearance, Indian agents and their allies allegedly helped raise funds and mobilise support for Poilievre in the South Asian community. This was part of a broader effort to build ties with politicians across parties.
The Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) did not inform Poilievre of this, as he lacks the required security clearance to access classified reports. He is the only federal party leader who has declined to obtain such clearance.
Citing The Globe and Mail article, Poilievre said CSIS had no evidence that he or his team knew about India’s alleged interference. The newspaper did not name the source, as they were not authorised to reveal classified information.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsMeanwhile, Poilievre’s rivals in the upcoming Canadian elections criticised him for refusing the security clearance, which is handled by CSIS and neutral government officials.
The process keeps confidential details away from the prime minister, political staff, and cabinet ministers.