Canada slow to respond to foreign interference
OTTAWA:
The Canadian government's response to foreign interference — notably by China — was at times slow and poorly coordinated, a public commission concluded on Tuesday.
Ottawa "took too long to act, and coordination was not always optimal" to counter threats, commissioner Marie-Josee Hogue told a news conference.
But overall Canada's "democratic institutions have remained robust in the face of attempted foreign interference," she said.
China — deemed to be the main meddler in Canadian affairs — has rejected the accusations. India, Russia, Pakistan and Iran were also accused of foreign interference.
The release of Hogue's seven-volume final report comes just months before Canadians could return to polls.
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