Evidence of meeting #72 for Procedure and House Affairs in the 44th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was campaign.
A video is available from Parliament.
1 p.m.
As an Individual
That's correct. I was not centrally involved.
I door-knocked for some local candidates in both 2019 and 2021, but I had no role within the central campaign.
1 p.m.
Conservative
1 p.m.
Conservative
1 p.m.
As an Individual
I thought about that. I know on the surface that it's the 2015 campaign, so I think there's probably a bit of politics, considering that one of the asks.... I know there was a counter-motion to have my friend Anne McGrath called before a committee. She was the national director of the NDP for the last two elections. I think there was a bit of politics here to have me and not members of the other party.
1 p.m.
Liberal
1 p.m.
Liberal
Mark Gerretsen Liberal Kingston and the Islands, ON
Thank you, Ms. Byrne, for coming here today.
You noted in your comments earlier on that you didn't receive any information or read any reports regarding foreign interference, but—
1 p.m.
Liberal
Mark Gerretsen Liberal Kingston and the Islands, ON
Okay.
In 2013, CSIS's public report identified foreign interference as an existing threat and one that was going to continue to grow in future years. Did you read that report?
1 p.m.
Liberal
May 11th, 2023 / 1 p.m.
Liberal
Mark Gerretsen Liberal Kingston and the Islands, ON
You paint a very different picture of Stephen Harper than some of the other witnesses who have come before us today.
A former intelligence officer said that Stephen Harper “became soft” on China and “agents of influence were capable of gaining access to him and changed the course of his decision-making.”
A former parliamentary correspondent said that he was left out to dry by Stephen Harper when he had first-hand knowledge of foreign interference. He asked us a question to ask you, so I will ask you. Perhaps you heard it in advance. His question was, why were you and the Harper government so naive on China?
1:05 p.m.
As an Individual
I cannot answer for the former prime minister. As I said, I have no knowledge of what the gentleman who testified here—
1:05 p.m.
Liberal
Mark Gerretsen Liberal Kingston and the Islands, ON
I'm telling you what he said. He claimed that Stephen Harper was naive on China. The intelligence officer before him said that Stephen Harper was soft on China.
Why were you guys in the Prime Minister's Office not taking those threats seriously?
1:05 p.m.
As an Individual
I have no evidence to say there was any evidence of that. As I said, I was not briefed on that, and I do not recall the public report by CSIS.
1:05 p.m.
Liberal
Mark Gerretsen Liberal Kingston and the Islands, ON
In fairness, you didn't have to be briefed on it. It was a public document by CSIS.
I have a series of questions for you. Yes or no is sufficient, if you wouldn't mind indulging me.
You were never briefed on foreign interference after a Chinese state news agency asked a reporter to spy on the former prime minister.
1:05 p.m.
Liberal
Mark Gerretsen Liberal Kingston and the Islands, ON
You were never briefed on foreign interference after the same news agency was involved in a honeytrap operation with the Conservative parliamentary secretary.
1:05 p.m.
Liberal
Mark Gerretsen Liberal Kingston and the Islands, ON
You were never briefed on foreign interference when a year earlier, CSIS director Richard Fadden publicly warned that some politicians were falling under the influence of foreign governments through personal relationships.
