Chong interference memo fell into a ‘black hole’, Trudeau adviser tells committee – National | Globalnews.ca

The prime minister’s national security adviser says Ottawa needs to improve the way it manages intelligence, and officials are taking steps to address breakdowns in communication within government.

Jody Thomas made the comments Thursday morning at a meeting of a parliamentary committee that is investigating allegations that members of Parliament were targeted by foreign interference.

Thomas said she wouldn’t speculate on the specifics of what took place before her tenure, after watchdog David Johnston found in a recent report that there were serious issues with the way the government handles confidential information.

The former governor general’s report concluded that the Canadian Security Intelligence Service was aware of indications Chinese officials were contemplating action directed at Canadian MPs, but did not identify negligence at the highest political levels.

The report said intelligence about Chinese officials seeking information on Conservative MP Michael Chong didn’t reach the prime minister, the public safety minister or Chong himself until after it was leaked and reported by media.

Thomas said the memo was sent to three deputy ministers across government but effectively went into a “black hole” and wasn’t shared with the appropriate people.

At the time, CSIS intended to provide Chong and a second unnamed MP with a briefing, Johnston’s report said. Chong said that he did receive a briefing but it did not include any details about a threat to his family.

Thomas said the memo about Chong was sent to the Privy Council Office in July 2021 and was provided to her predecessor David Morrison in August, but she wouldn’t say why it wasn’t shared with the prime minister, Chong or other relevant people at the time.

2:30
‘Deeply disconcerting’: Conservative MP Michael Chong testifies on alleged Chinese interference

“I’m not going to account for what’s happened with my predecessor,” she told the committee.

Johnston’s report confirmed that CSIS also sent information about the targeting of Chong to the public safety minister and his chief of staff via a top-secret email platform but they never received it. The public service told Johnston that they don’t have access to the right system.

Thomas said it should have been the responsibility of the security apparatus to ensure the information was provided.

Bill Blair, who was public safety minister at the time, said Thursday afternoon that he, too, first learned about threats against Chong in the media and that if he had been briefed about threats against an MP, he would have taken action.

He told MPs on the committee there is no email account where top-secret information is shared with people, but there is a top-secret terminal, and he did not have access to one in his offices.

“If (CSIS) determined that information is not required to be shared with us, and I have no knowledge of that, I would not have the opportunity to act on it,” he said, adding that questions about why the information wasn’t shared with him should be put to the director of CSIS, David Vigneault.

Thomas said steps have been taken to ensure better information flow since her arrival to the national security adviser position in 2022, and more is now being done to ensure officials are aware of how to consume intelligence.

&copy 2023 The Canadian Press