Singh and Poilievre to begin talks on terms for public inquiry on foreign meddling

OTTAWA –

A spokesperson for the NDP says its leader Jagmeet Singh and Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre are about to begin talks on setting terms of reference for a possible public inquiry into foreign interference.

NDP communications director Eric Demers says the two are expected to talk on the phone sometime today.

A spokesperson for the Conservative party says Poilievre’s office reached out to Singh on Tuesday with hopes of speaking to Singh today, but it has yet to receive confirmation.

Demers says Singh will recommend that the main federal party leaders or their representatives sit at a table to discuss terms of reference for an inquiry — or that the discussion happen at the procedure and House affairs committee, which has been studying foreign interference.

The NDP is expressing a desire to work with all parties in order to get the government to call a public inquiry.

The Liberals say they are open to a public process to evaluate reforms needed to combat foreign interference, and have punted the decision-making around a potential inquiry to opposition parties in what they say is an attempt to lower the partisan temperature.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 14, 2023.