Evidence of meeting #128 for Public Safety and National Security in the 44th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was comment.
A video is available from Parliament.
Conservative
Raquel Dancho Conservative Kildonan—St. Paul, MB
Ms. Chen, do you have anything else you wish to say to this committee about these allegations?
As an Individual
As previously mentioned, for the reasons outlined in my opening statement, I have no comment.
Conservative
Raquel Dancho Conservative Kildonan—St. Paul, MB
Ms. Chen, I'll underline again that this is a committee of the Parliament of Canada. These institutions are incredibly old, ancient, and protect our democracy. You've been summoned here today to answer questions about an incredibly important issue, to say the least. In fact, this committee has identified, over a number of months and years, that Russian misinformation and disinformation present incredible threats to the west. The purpose of that propaganda is to sow division in this country and to undermine our own interests—to say nothing about the Ukrainian individuals who fled the war in Ukraine and came to Canada for safety. There are thousands of them in Manitoba. Spreading Russian propaganda in Canada—and withholding that it was, in fact, Russian propaganda—has had an impact on those individuals and Canada at large.
Do you have any comment about the impact of the information Tenet Media shared on Ukrainian Canadians, and on Ukrainians who have fled Ukraine and come to Canada? Do you have any thoughts about how your alleged efforts have impacted those individuals?
Conservative
Raquel Dancho Conservative Kildonan—St. Paul, MB
Mr. Chair, I think I'm out of time.
Again, I'd just like to register that Ms. Chen, unfortunately, I feel, is making a farce of this committee, and it's deeply disappointing.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Ron McKinnon
Thank you, Ms. Dancho.
We'll go now to Ms. Damoff for six minutes, please.
Liberal
Pam Damoff Liberal Oakville North—Burlington, ON
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I want to echo Ms. Dancho's frustration at the lack of response to the questions thus far in the committee. There are lots of issues that parties in the House of Commons disagree on. On this one, as parliamentarians, as representatives of this country.... I'm deeply disturbed that a witness would come before this committee—having been summoned, which is quite rare to have to do in order to get a witness to appear—and then would refuse to answer questions. These are questions that are extremely important to Canadians. We are the public safety and national security committee, and as you know, we're studying Russian disinformation.
I will tell you that when we had Facebook here and found out that your posts continue to live on social media platforms like Rumble, and then as a result on Facebook, so that the disinformation funded by the Russian government can continue to infiltrate Canadians, it was extremely disturbing. It's frustrating to see you sitting here today in front of us and not answering our questions.
I'm going to try this myself.
Have you been contacted by Canadian or American law enforcement about your role in the Russian-run Tenet Media operations, given the U.S. indictment?
Liberal
Pam Damoff Liberal Oakville North—Burlington, ON
Did you portray Eduard Grigoriann, a fictional Brussels-born businessman, as the private investor behind the funding that would allow “Commentator-1” and “Commentator-2”, who are listed in the indictment, “to produce videos, using [their own] names and leveraging their existing audiences, for license and publication” by your company?
Liberal
Pam Damoff Liberal Oakville North—Burlington, ON
I'm echoing Ms. Dancho's frustration at this lack of recognition of Parliament and of the parliamentarians sitting around this table, representing Canadians from coast to coast to coast.
The indictment says, “After Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, RT was sanctioned, dropped by distributors, and ultimately forced to cease formal operations in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and the European Union. In response, RT created, in the words of its editor-in-chief, an 'entire empire of covert projects' designed to shape public opinion in 'Western audiences.'”
Why did you choose to be part of one of these covert projects?
Liberal
Pam Damoff Liberal Oakville North—Burlington, ON
Are you aware that your talking points parrot the Russian government's disinformation campaigns?
Liberal
Pam Damoff Liberal Oakville North—Burlington, ON
I'll emphasize that these are talking points meant to undermine western democracies.
Liberal
Pam Damoff Liberal Oakville North—Burlington, ON
I'm going to share my time with Ms. O'Connell.
I'll pass it over to you, Ms. O'Connell.
November 5th, 2024 / 11:20 a.m.
Liberal
Jennifer O'Connell Liberal Pickering—Uxbridge, ON
Mr. Chair, given the lack of response, I move that the committee ask that the witness be compelled to respond to our questions.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Ron McKinnon
Thank you.
Is it the will of the committee to agree that the witness must answer the questions?
Conservative
Raquel Dancho Conservative Kildonan—St. Paul, MB
Mr. Chair, I'm unfamiliar with this. Perhaps the clerk or others can outline in further detail what powers we have to do that.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Ron McKinnon
My understanding is that in order for this matter to be reported to the House and for the witness to be brought before the bar of the chamber, the committee must demand a response, an answer to the questions. If she fails, then we have an option to take it back to the House for further action.
If you'd like, we could suspend for a couple of minutes and have a conversation.
Conservative
Raquel Dancho Conservative Kildonan—St. Paul, MB
I just want to be clear that it's the avenue we're pursuing. That's understood.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Ron McKinnon
Yes. Okay.
Is it the will of the committee that the witness be compelled to answer the questions?
I see agreement among the committee.
(Motion agreed to)
Liberal
Liberal