Intelligence committee head says idea that Trudeau controls its work is 'considerably off the mark'

Story by Ryan Tumilty • 

OTTAWA — Members of the committee that studies Canada’s intelligence matters insisted Tuesday the prime minister is not interfering in their work, though they did argue the government could be more helpful and more responsive.


Liberal MP David McGuinty appears before the House of Commons national security committee on April 18, 2023.© Provided by National Post

David McGuinty, a Liberal MP and chair of the National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians (NSICOP), testified before other MPs on Tuesday at the Commons Public Safety committee. McGuinty said comments suggesting the committee is controlled by the prime minister are untrue.

“There are comments sometimes about the role of the prime minister or the government in the work of the committee. And they are, I would say considerably off the mark,” he said.

The Liberals established NSICOP as a venue for MPs and Senators to receive classified information and make recommendations to the public. MPs and Senators who sit on the committee have high security clearances and meet behind closed doors to hear classified information.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has asked the committee to take a closer look at foreign interference in Canada’s elections last month. Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre dismissed that move at the time and has repeatedly dismissed the committee as non-transparent.

“This is a secret committee, with secret hearings, secret evidence, and secret conclusions – all controlled by the Prime Minister. It will have neither the openness nor the independence to give Canadians the truth about Beijing’s interference in our politics and government,” Poilievre said.

Senator Frances Lankin, who sits on the committee dismissed that criticism as well.

“There has never been a time when the Prime Minister, the PMO, or anyone else weighed into our work,” she told MPs. “Suggestions of the sort are patently false.”

Conservative MP Glen Motz, who formerly sat on the committee, also applauded the work and said it was legitimately non-partisan.

“It was probably the best and most enjoyable time I’ve had because it actually felt like you were making a difference.”

Both Lankin and McGuinty said there are many improvements that could be made. They said in particular they fear the government has been too quick to withhold information from the committee, especially in cases where documents go to cabinet.

“The committee faces several challenges to obtaining the information we are entitled to under the law, and that we need to fulfill our mandate,” McGuinty said.

Lankin said they get most of the information they want, but there have been some challenges.

“By and large, it has been very good, but we have had specific incidents where we think that certain departments have perhaps given too broad an interpretation to what’s a cabinet confidence.”

The legislation that created the committee is up for a review and Lankin and McGuinty said it could be a good time to make some changes that woul improve how it functions.

NSICOP has raised concerns in the past that it was being ignored by the government and its recommendations gathered dust waiting for a response.

Conservative MP Doug Shipley said of the group’s many reports the government seems to have only really responded to one.

“I was a little shocked to find out that the government has only responded to one report in the five years of NSICOP’s existence,” he said. “Do you think that a set time period where a government must respond to your report should be implemented?

McGuinty said there is a real issue there and he hopes the renewed focus on intelligence issues means the government will move faster on the committees recommendations .

“We’re encouraged with what we’ve seen, but we would encourage this committee to call the government again to perhaps provide more detail on how they’re moving forward,” he said. “We’re always looking for more take up, more traction because the purpose of the committee, why we’re here, is to improve the situation.”

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