Canada’s Spy Chief Insists Some Provincial Cabinet Ministers Under “Foreign Influence”

The country’s spy chief is standing by his controversial remarks about foreign interference in Canadian politics.

Dick Fadden, director of the Canadian Security Intelligence Service, is telling a Commons committee it’s a “concern and a threat.”

And Fadden says foreign interference is “more common here and elsewhere than many think”and it should be “known and discussed.”

But Fadden says the concerns he raised during a CBC-TV interview last month do not meet the criteria to “constitute threats to the security of Canada.”

Fadden says he therefore had not apprised Public Safety Minister Vic Toews nor the Privy Council Office.

But he adds Toews “is generally aware of foreign interference in Canada,” as is the PCO.

Fadden said last month he was in the process of warning at least two provinces, through the Privy Council Office, that members of their cabinets have come under foreign influence.

Fadden also said CSIS had suspicions about a number of municipal politicians in British Columbia.

He was cagey about the countries involved, but did not deny that China was a country of concern for the spy service.

Fadden’s words — broadcast on the eve of a visit by Chinese President Hu Jintao — enraged many who said they cast aspersions on all elected officials with ties abroad.

Some marvelled at Fadden’s uncommon candour, while still others said the spymaster was being refreshingly forthright.

The Prime Minister’s Office denied knowledge of Fadden’s worries. The CSIS director briskly backpedaled after the broadcast, saying in a statement that he had “not apprised the Privy Council Office of the cases” because they were not “of sufficient concern” to alert provincial authorities.

Fadden said foreign interference is common in many countries around the world and CSIS has been probing such threats for decades.