Justin Trudeau

[Democratic Institutions, November 30th, 2022]

Mr. Speaker, I think members and all Canadians understand that I need to be deliberate about my answers when it comes to a matter of national security.

Canada and its allies are regularly targeted by foreign states like China, including during our elections. Our national security agencies, under the current government, are taking more action than ever and indeed are among the global leaders on countering foreign interference in elections. We created an independent panel to evaluate foreign interference threats to Canadian elections that confirms that election integrity was not compromised. I am briefed, but more, all parties are briefed on threats—

[Democratic Institutions, November 30th, 2022]

Mr. Speaker, I think all Canadians understand that I need to be deliberate about my answers, when it comes to matters of national security. Canada and its allies are regularly targeted by foreign states like China, including during our elections. Our national security agencies, under this government, are taking more action than ever.

We created an independent panel to evaluate foreign interference threats to Canadian elections and that panel confirms that election integrity was not compromised. Yes, I am regularly—

[Health, November 29th, 2022]

Mr. Speaker, we were there with billions and billions of dollars. An additional $72 billion was invested in the past few years during the pandemic to help the provinces improve the health care system, and we will continue to be there with billions more to help them with the health care system.

However, we must ensure that this money is tied to improvements and that there are better services and better access to health care for Quebec and Canadian families. That is why we are working with the provinces. We want to deliver real results for children, for families and for everyone.

[Health, November 29th, 2022]

Mr. Speaker, it is interesting because some days from the opposition we get “Why aren't you sending money to the premiers to solve the health care problems?” Other days we get, like this one, “Be careful; don't send money to the premiers because they are trying to privatize health care.”

Regardless of what the opposition members say, we are going to continue to do the work of making sure Canadians get reliable results and outcomes from their health care systems across the country. That means standing up for the Canada Health Act, but also ensuring that any work we do with the provinces delivers concretely in line with the Canada Health Act.

[Democratic Institutions, November 29th, 2022]

Mr. Speaker, Canada has been working with its allies for years on countering foreign interference, including Chinese interference, in our cybersecurity systems, in our media, toward our population.

We are working very closely with our allies in the United States, in England and elsewhere to counter that influence, and we will continue to work with our allies to stand up for the values and principles all Canadians hold dear.

[Democratic Institutions, November 29th, 2022]

Mr. Speaker, as I said, we have all heard these media reports on allegations about China funding certain candidates in the federal election.

I can confirm that none of the experts or officials from our intelligence services shared anything with me about interference where Canadian candidates may have received money directly or indirectly from China.

[Democratic Institutions, November 29th, 2022]

Mr. Speaker, I got a report back from our panel of experts established in the national security agencies to report back on whether our elections were subject to foreign interference and they confirmed that the elections were held in full integrity and the outcome was not impacted. Canadians can have full confidence in the integrity of our elections in 2019 and 2021.

[Democratic Institutions, November 29th, 2022]

Mr. Speaker, the member opposite brought in the element of allegations of interference. I can confirm, based on the news reports that a number of people have been remarking on for the past number of weeks, that I have never gotten any information from any of our security agencies, or police officers, or intelligence officials or public servants of a federal candidate receiving money from China, as the allegations highlighted.

[Democratic Institutions, November 29th, 2022]

Mr. Speaker, back in 2019, we established a non-partisan independent group of top civil servants and intelligence officials to ensure that the integrity of our elections would not be compromised. They watched and reported in the 2019 election. They watched and reported in the 2021 election. In both cases, they confirmed that the integrity of our elections was not compromised.

[Democratic Institutions, November 29th, 2022]

Mr. Speaker, as our intelligence services have highlighted many times in many different fora for Canadians, interference in Canadians' affairs by foreign powers is an ongoing thing. Whether it is cyber interference, whether it is interference with communities in Canada, whether it is attempts to influence the media, these are things that take place on an ongoing basis and things that our intelligence agencies and police agencies work very hard to counter. However, Canadians can be reassured that the integrity of our elections was not compromised.