Former NDP leader Tom Mulcair has defended Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre’s decision not to obtain a security clearance to be debriefed by the government on foreign interference, arguing that the ploy was a trick to tie Poilievre’s hands
Recent media reports have alleged that there were instances of foreign interference in the Conservative leadership race–a charge that Poilievre has denied. Poilievre won the race with a landslide. Mulcair called the latest attempt to go after the Conservative leader a political “mugs came,” saying that Poilievre was wise for not “accepting” to play.
Poilievre has come under fire on the campaign trail, being pressed on why he hasn’t attained a security clearance to review files related to the foreign interference commission but as Mulcair pointed out, he would be silenced by doing so.
“I think Pierre Poilievre is right now and that he has always been right when he has refused these so-called security briefings because it would require him to say that he wouldn’t do his job. The leader of the official opposition, his majesty’s loyal opposition, has a job under our constitution to hold the government to account,” said Mulcair during an interview with CTV News Wednesday.
“And it’s not true that because somebody in the security apparatus says, ‘well if you want this information, you’re going to have to promise never to use it,’ that it means that a leader of the opposition is being irresponsible if he doesn’t take the bait.”
Mulcair went on to say that he would have “never accepted to do that” under the same circumstances and that in his day as a Parliamentarian, former prime minister Stephen Harper, “respecting constitutional convention,” would call him personally to brief him.
“His staff would set it up and once, I was at a wedding and they tracked me down because he wanted to share with me some important information that he knew would be in the news the next couple of days and he wanted me to have it,” said Mulcair.
The former NDP leader said it’s a “clear understanding” that when you’re in that role and you receive important information from the prime minister “you’re going to hold onto it, you’re not going to go and blab at a press conference.”
Pressure from the Liberals and the NDP to get his security clearance stems from a recent CSIS report and comes on the heels of the Hogue Commission.
During a panel discussion on CTV’s Power Play with Vassy Kapelos, Mulcair questioned why high-ranking members of the intelligence community were saying that Poilievre should be briefed on this issue while knowing he would be bound by secrecy as a result.
“Now all of a sudden we’re talking about whether Poilievre actually got the 68 per cent, what, maybe it was 67 per cent?” joked Mulcair, referring to Poilievre’s Conservative leadership win in 2022.
“This is madness to try and make this an issue in a campaign that is so serious for the country, to try and go back to this stuff and to try and complain about Poilievre wanting to do his constitutional duty,” said Mulcair. “He wants to do his job of holding the government to account and no, he’s not going to walk into that bear trap.”
The Globe and Mail published an article claiming that “Agents of India and their proxies allegedly meddled in the 2022 election of Pierre Poilievre as Conservative Party Leader.” The information came from a source “with top-secret clearance who said that it was “part of a larger effort to cozy up to politicians of all parties.”
Poilievre was asked about alleged claims during a rally in Vaughan, Ont. on Tuesday.
“First of all, let’s quote from the Globe and Mail article,” he responded. “‘CSIS did not have evidence that Mr. Poilievre or members of his inner circle were aware of these alleged actions.’”
He then quoted from the Hogue Commission, saying “‘the commission heard testimony about allegations of the government of India’s interference with the Conservative Party’s leadership race. CSIS witnesses noted that they had no reason to believe the impacted candidates would have been aware of alleged support.’”
“Let’s be honest,” said Poilievre. “I won the leadership fair and square.”
Mulcair also said that when Liberal leader Mark Carney “went down that road” of trying to smear Poilievre with these allegations he “made a big mistake.”
“What did he (Carney) get snapped right back at him by Poilievre?” said Mulcair, “Let’s talk about when you were in Beijing talking with the Chinese Communist Party, borrowing hundreds of millions of dollars for your private company.”