Trudeau’s chief of staff, Katie Telford, set to testify in foreign interference probe

OTTAWA –

A committee tasked with studying alleged foreign interference in Canada’s last two elections is set to hear from the prime minister’s chief of staff today.

Katie Telford is scheduled to be a witness at the procedure and House affairs committee this afternoon, to talk about what she knows about Chinese meddling in the 2019 and 2021 elections.

Previous witnesses in recent months — including the head of Canada’s spy agency and Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly — have revealed little, citing national security laws that limit what they can say.

The Conservatives have been working to get Telford to answer questions for weeks, with MP Michael Cooper saying calling her the second most powerful person in the Liberal government.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says he’s had many conversations with Telford about foreign interference over many years, because it’s an issue that needs to be taken seriously.

Trudeau has appointed David Johnston as a special rapporteur to advise government on what it ought to do to deal with foreign interference.

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