Pierre Poilievre, leader of the Conservative Party, speaks at a campaign event in Brampton, Ontario, on March 24. REUTERS
Canada’s intelligence agency has accused India of interfering in the 2022 Conservative Party leadership race by backing Pierre Poilievre. A source with high-level security clearance revealed that Indian agents allegedly raised funds and organized support within the South Asian community to help Poilievre win. However, the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) found no evidence that Poilievre or his team knew about this support.
Poilievre easily won the leadership race, securing 68% of the vote on the first ballot. CSIS did not inform him of India’s alleged involvement because he lacks the security clearance required to access classified intelligence. Poilievre has refused to obtain this clearance, saying it would limit his ability to criticize the government.
CSIS spokesperson Lindsay Sloane stated that the agency takes all foreign interference threats seriously. She confirmed that CSIS had briefed Ian Todd, Poilievre’s chief of staff, about foreign interference tactics, including alleged meddling in the leadership race.
The public inquiry into foreign interference, led by Justice Marie-Josée Hogue, identified China and India as the main culprits of political meddling in Canada. The inquiry’s final report, released in January, revealed that Indian agents used secret proxies to provide financial support to Canadian politicians. The goal was to elect pro-India candidates or influence those already in office. However, the report noted that the politicians were likely unaware of the interference.
Justice Hogue recommended that all federal party leaders obtain security clearance to access classified intelligence. She emphasized that without clearance, they cannot fully understand the extent of foreign interference.
Despite the findings, Poilievre has continued to reject security clearance. During his federal election campaign launch, he criticized the Liberals, saying he doesn’t trust them with the clearance process. He argued that having clearance would prevent him from speaking freely. Poilievre stated that CSIS could brief him directly if they found it necessary.
The National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians (NSICOP) previously reported that both China and India interfered in Canada’s political processes. The committee specifically accused India of meddling in Conservative leadership races. However, the report did not name any particular candidates.
Canada’s relationship with India worsened significantly after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau accused Indian agents of being involved in the 2023 killing of Canadian Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar. The allegations led to the expulsion of six Indian diplomats from Canada. India denied the claims and expelled six Canadian diplomats in response, deepening the diplomatic rift.
The Security and Intelligence Threats to Elections (SITE) Task Force, which monitors foreign interference, has promised weekly briefings on foreign meddling throughout Canada’s current 37-day federal election campaign. SITE officials say they are closely monitoring interference attempts by China, India, Pakistan, and Iran.
Vanessa Lloyd, deputy director of operations at CSIS, warned that India is increasingly using Canadian-based proxies to influence communities and politics in Canada.
