Who's who at the foreign interference inquiry - Action News
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Who's who at the foreign interference inquiry

The independent inquiry into foreign electoral interference is officially underway. Over the next year, the commission will dip in and out of the public eye as it tries to get to the bottom of what happened in the past two federal elections and whether Ottawa has a handle on the issue. Here's a look at the key players.

The commission is investigating allegations linked to the 2019 and 2021 elections

A person enters the Public Inquiry Into Foreign Interference in Federal Electoral Processes and Democratic Institutions as it begins hearings, Monday, January 29, 2024 in Ottawa.
A person enters the Public Inquiry Into Foreign Interference in Federal Electoral Processes and Democratic Institutions as it begins hearings on Monday, January 29, 2024 in Ottawa. (Adrian Wyld/Canadian Press)

The independent inquiry into foreign electoral interference is officially underway. Over the next year, the commission will dip in and out of the public eye as it tries to determine what happened in the past two federal elections and whether Ottawa has a handle on the issue.

The teamhas been asked to investigate the extent to which China, Russia and other nations interfered in those elections, and how information about foreign interference flowed within the federal government.

Here's a look at some of the key players in the room.

Commission staff

Commissioner Marie-Jose Hogue

Commissioner Justice Marie-Josee Hogue listens to counsel deliver remarks on the second day of the Public Inquiry Into Foreign Interference in Federal Electoral Processes and Democratic Institutions, Tuesday, Jan.30, 2024 in Ottawa.
Commissioner Justice Marie-Josee Hogue listens to counsel deliver remarks on the second day of the Public Inquiry Into Foreign Interference in Federal Electoral Processes and Democratic Institutions on Tuesday, Jan.30, 2024 in Ottawa. (Adrian Wyld/The Canadian Press)

The Quebec Court of Appeal Judge says the job of her commission is to "uncover the truth, whatever it may be."

During her opening remarks Monday, she told the room she has taken steps to remainneutral and impartial.

While the commission has been working for weeks on getting everything in place, Hogue said she has not yet reviewed the evidence to avoid drawing prematureconclusions.

"I have chosen this approach to ensure that I have no preconceived ideas, and I will adhere to it throughout the commission's work," she said.

Lead counsel Shantona Chaudhury

Commissioner Justice Marie-Josee Hogue listens to lead counsel Shantona Chaudhury present their opening remarks at the Public Inquiry Into Foreign Interference in Federal Electoral Processes and Democratic Institutions, Monday, January 29, 2024 in Ottawa.
Commissioner Justice Marie-Josee Hogue listens to lead counsel Shantona Chaudhury present opening remarks at the Public Inquiry Into Foreign Interference in Federal Electoral Processes and Democratic Institutions on Monday, January 29, 2024 in Ottawa. (Adrian Wyld/Canadian Press)

A familiar face to those who followed the Emergencies Act commission last year, Shantona Chaudhury islead counsel at the Hogue Commission.

She is supported by a team of lawyers, including another individualwho took part in the Rouleau Commission: Gordon Cameron, who has a long history working in national security law.

Paul Cavalluzzo

Paul Cavalluzzo, lead commission council for the Arar inquiry, holds up a copy of documents that have been blacked-out for security reasons at a news conference in Ottawa Monday Dec. 20, 2004. The Canadian Security Intelligence Service clashed with the Foreign Affairs Department over a proposed letter intended to free Arar from the Syrian prison, information disclosed Monday by the federal inquiry into the Ottawa mans case shows.
Paul Cavalluzzo, then lead commission council for the Arar inquiry, holds up a copy of documents that have been blacked-out for security reasons at a news conference in Ottawa on Monday Dec. 20, 2004. (Tom Hanson/Canadian Press)

Paul Cavalluzzo,senior policy adviser to the Hogue Commission, has a long history with such commissions. He waslead counsel for the inquiry inthe case of Maher Arar which concludedthat the RCMPwronglyidentified Arar and his wife to U.S. authorities as "Islamic extremists" before hewas sent to Syria, where he was imprisoned and tortured.

Cavalluzzo also worked on the Walkertoninquiry, which concluded thatthe most serious case of water contamination in Canadian history could have been prevented.

Party status participants

Expect to hear from these parties a lot when the commission picks up speed in March. Those with standing during the commission's factual phase have the right to propose and question witnesses on certain matters andwill be receiving evidence in advance.

Government of Canada

This was a given it'swritten into the commissioner's mandate that the government of Canada must have an opportunity to fully participate in the inquiry. As Hogue notes, the government of Canada is "a primary source for information" and will be directly affectedby the commission's findings and recommendations.

Office of the Commissioner of Canada Elections

A man arrives to cast his ballot at a polling station on federal election day in Shawinigan, Que.
The Commissioner of Canada Elections is responsible for enforcing the Canada Elections Act. (Graham Hughes/ The Canadian Press)

The Commissioner of Canada Elections is the watchdog that enforces Canada's federal election laws. Commissioner Caroline Simard has said she is reviewing serious complaints about meddling in the past elections.

Han Dong

Han dong in 2014
Now independent MP Han Dong celebrates with supporters in Toronto in 2014 during a rally in Toronto while a Liberal candidate. (Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press)

The independent MP denies media reports accusing him of participating in Chinese interference efforts in the past two elections. In his application to the commission, the former Liberal said those media reports have made him the face of Chinese foreign interference.

Former special rapporteur David Johnston found there were "irregularities" observed in Dong's nomination for the federal Liberals in 2019 but also wrote that he did not find evidence that Dong was aware of thoseirregularities.

In granting his application, Hogue said Dong has an "obvious reputational interest" and can provide first-hand information.

Michael Chan

Michael Chan, is the deputy mayor of Markham, Ont.
Michael Chan is the deputy mayor of Markham, Ont. (David Donnelly/CBC)

The former Ontario cabinet minister, now deputy mayor of Markham, has long faced accusations that he's close with the People's Republic of China. As Hogue notes, some media outletshave reported that certain Chinese Canadian politicians, including Chan, may haveengaged in improper activities in connection with the 2019 and 2021 elections. Chan has launched a legal actionsaying the leaks have publicly humiliated him because of a "stereotypical typecasting of immigrants born in China as being somehow untrustworthy."

Human Rights Coalition

The coalition is made up of several groups: the Uyghur Rights Advocacy Project, the Falun Gong Human Rights Group, Canada-Hong Kong Link, Democratic Spaces, Hidmonna Eritrean Canadian Human Rights Group of Manitoba, Security and Justice for Tigrayans Canada, and the Alliance of Genocide Victim Communities. Hogue ruled they have "substantial and direct interest in the subject."

Their participation is on thin ice, however. Some in the coalitionhave threatened to boycott the commission over the inclusion of Dong, Chan and Sen. Yuen Pau Woo;they argue the three men have "possible links and support for the Chinese Communist Party (CCP)."

Michael Chong

Conservative MP Michael Chong rises during question period on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Wednesday, May 3, 2023.
Conservative MP Michael Chong rises during question period on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Wednesday, May 3, 2023. (Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press)

The Conservatives' foreign affairs critic has been vocal about his first-hand experience as the target of an alleged political campaign by China.

Earlier this year, Chong said he had learned from the Globe and Mail that the Chinese government had targeted him and his relatives in Hong Kong in the lead-up to the 2021 election in response to his stance against Canada's use of Huawei technology and Beijing's treatment of Uyghurs.

Healso has been the target of an organizedsmear campaign on social media that Global Affairs Canada says is likely backed by China.

Jenny Kwan

NDP MP Jenny Kwan speaks to reporters about her briefing with CSIS where they confirmed that she was a target of foreign interference, in the Foyer of the House of Commons on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, on Monday, May 29, 2023. It took about an hour for Jenny Kwan to be briefed by Canada's spy agency and not even a second for her to decide it won't let her bend.
NDP MP Jenny Kwan speaks to reporters in the Foyer of the House of Commons on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Monday, May 29, 2023. (Justin Tang/The Canadian Press)

NDP MP Jenny Kwan has said publicly that CSIS told her she has been a target of foreign interference by the Government of China, including during the 2021 federal election. She also told the commission that as the representative of a riding with a large Chinese-Canadian population, the threat of foreign interference has limited her ability to access her constituents.

Ukrainian Canadian Congress

Hundreds of people gathered in solidarity for the people of Ukraine during a rally organized by the Ukrainian Canadian Congress on the steps of the B.C. Legislature in Victoria, Sunday, Feb. 27, 2022.
Hundreds of people gathered in solidarity for the people of Ukraine during a rally organized by the Ukrainian Canadian Congress on the steps of the B.C. Legislature in Victoria on Sunday, Feb. 27, 2022. (Chad Hipolito/Canadian Press)

The Ukrainian Canadian Congress is the umbrella organization for national, provincial and local Ukrainian Canadian organizations, dating back to the 1940s. Thecongress says the Ukrainian diaspora in Canada has been a target of Russian interference activities, including both disinformation operations and acts ofviolence. In its application for standing, which was approved by Hogue, the congresssaid it also plans to discuss "the lack of adequate response by the government of Canada to Russian activities carried out in Canada, including by Russian diplomats."

Russian Canadian Democratic Alliance

The alliance was founded by political activists of Russian heritage in the wake of the invasion of Ukraine. It applied for standing by arguing it has an interest in Canada's ability to protect the Russian diasporaagainst Russian government intimidation and interference.

Hogue said the alliance'scommunity perspective will inform her work as she investigates claims that Russia also meddled in Canada's affairs.

Interveners

Interveners are the people or groups that Hoguehas decidedhave a general interest in the issues, but not to the same degreeas those with standing. Interveners have the right to make written submissions but, for the most part, they can'tcross-examinewitnesses or get anadvanceview of the evidence. The commissioner suggested she could make exceptions, however.

Conservative Party of Canada

A man is silhouetted walking past a Conservative Party logo.
A man is silhouetted walking past a Conservative Party logo. (Darren Calabrese/Canadian Press)

The Conservatives argued for full standing, arguing that its candidates were among those targeted the most by the Chinese government in the past two elections. In a statement, the Conservative Party called Hogue's decision to withhold full standing "deeply concerning" and said it "undermines the credibility of the entire process."

Hogue saidshe has been careful in her decisions on standing and will "not permit the inquiry to become a platform for partisan debate."

New Democratic Party

The NDPcalledfor full party standing, arguing it has a direct and substantial interest in the conduct of federal elections. As she did withthe Conservatives, Hoguegranted the NDPintervener status.

"I reiterate what I have said about the proper role of a political party in a commission of inquiry and caution the NDP that I will not permit the inquiry to become a platform for partisan debate," she wrote.

Erin O'Toole

A man in a blue suit and tie speaks in the House of Commons.
Conservative member of Parliament Erin O'Toole speaks in the House of Commons on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Tuesday, May 30, 2023. (Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press)

Former Conservative leader Erin O'Toolestatedpublicly that officials from the Canadian Security Intelligence Service told him last spring that Beijing had targeted him for years as part of a "sophisticated misinformation and voter suppression campaign." O'Toole, who has since left politics, told the commission he has several recommendations for better protecting federal democratic processes from foreign interference. Hogue granted him intervener status in the factual phase of the inquiry, writing that unlike the cases of Dong and Chan it's not alleged he was compromised as a result of foreign interference.

Sen. Yuen Pau Woo

Sen. Yuen Pau Woo denounces RCMP allegations of Chinese government interference in Canada as community organizer May Chiu looks on during a news conference at the Chinese Family Service center, May 5, 2023  in Montreal.
Sen. Yuen Pau Woo denounces RCMP allegations of Chinese government interference in Canada as community organizer May Chiu looks on during a news conference at the Chinese Family Service centre on May 5, 2023 in Montreal. (Ryan Remiorz/The Canadian Press)

Hogue granted Independent Senator Yuen Pau Woo intervener status as someone who has the "perspective of a political figure working to address issues of foreign interference while advocating for a community that risks being stigmatized or negatively impacted by counter-interference measures, whether proposed or put in place."

His participation has stirred some controversy. Woo has been calleda "mouthpiece" for China after he said Canada should be careful condemning China over its treatment of Uyghur Muslims because of its mistreatment of Indigenous peoples. Woo has spoken out against stigmatization and anti-Asian racism.

Churchill Society

The Churchill Society for the Advancement of Parliamentary Democracy describes itself as a non-partisan, charitable organization that facilitates discussion and debate about Canada's parliamentary democracy. In its application, it said it wants to comment on the federal government's ability to effectively counter misinformation and disinformation and make recommendations.

The Pillar Society

The organization is made up of former members of the Canadian Security Intelligence Service and the RCMP's security service. The group says it has knowledge of how intelligence is collected and disseminated.

Democracy Watch

Democracy Watch says it's devoted to government accountability, democratic reform and citizen participation in public affairs. Hogue said the group can make submissions on recommendations.

Chinese Canadian Concern Group on the Chinese Communist Party's Human Rights Violations

The group says it's made up of media, professionals, activist and religious leaders inthe Chinese Canadian community concerned about human rights violations by the Chinese Communist Party, with a particular connection to the Vancouver area.

Limited standing

Two other groups have restricted standing.

The Media Coalition

The coalition is made upof the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation/Socit Radio-Canada; Toronto Star Newspapers Limited; La Presse Inc.; CTV, a division of Bell Media Inc.; Global News, a division of Corus Television Limited Partnership; MdiaQMI Inc.; and Groupe TVA Inc.

The coalition has standing during the first week of the hearingas the commission sorts through how to deal with the top-secret documents and confidential information.

The Centre for Free Expression

The Centre for Free Expression is described as a non-partisan research, public educationand advocacy centre based out of Toronto Metropolitan University. It focuses on free expression and the public's right to seek, receiveand share information and whistleblower protections.

It too has standing, but it's restricted to the first week of hearings onaccess to national security information.

Corrections

  • A previous version of this story stated Sen. Yuen Pau Woo said Canada should avoid criticizing China for its human rights abuses. In fact, it is more accurate to say Woo said Canada should avoid condemning China
    Jan 31, 2024 12:00 PM ET

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