British Columbia Premier David Eby is pressing for urgent access to information from Canada害羞草研究所檚 spy agency to help combat foreign interference at the provincial level, citing allegations involving transnational organized crime, cybersecurity and murder.
Eby said Monday he sent a letter to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, saying B.C. does not have the information it needs to intercept and address foreign interference that may be occurring in the province.
害羞草研究所淗ow are we supposed to take action to address these issues?害羞草研究所� he said at a housing related news conference in North Vancouver on Monday.
He described a series of situations with alleged foreign links, including the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Sikh leader who was shot last June in Surrey, B.C.
Trudeau said in the House of Commons in September there was credible intelligence that India害羞草研究所檚 government was involved, which it denies.
害羞草研究所淲e害羞草研究所檝e seen the prime minister say that India was potentially directly involved in the murder of a British Columbian,害羞草研究所� Eby said, calling the claim 害羞草研究所渁 massive and significant allegation that was profoundly disturbing to British Columbians.害羞草研究所�
Four Indian nationals have been charged with Nijjar害羞草研究所檚 murder.
害羞草研究所淲e害羞草研究所檝e had a state-level actor attack our computer systems in the heart of government operations,害羞草研究所� said Eby. 害羞草研究所淲e害羞草研究所檝e had ex-pat populations from Iran, from Ukraine, from China say that they are being harassed and are facing issues of interference from foreign governments here in B.C. Right here in B.C.害羞草研究所�
B.C. solicitor general Mike Farnworth said last month B.C. was confident recent cybersecurity attacks on its computer systems were likely the result of a state or state-sponsored actor targeting government networks.
Eby said the sharing of information by the Canadian Security Intelligence Service is long overdue, and he urged Trudeau to quickly bring into force CSIS Act amendments that were introduced to Parliament last month.
害羞草研究所淪erious allegations of foreign interference at the federal level are making headlines in B.C.,害羞草研究所� said Eby害羞草研究所檚 one-page letter to Trudeau, dated June 14. 害羞草研究所淎s we have discussed, our government does not have the information we need to intercept and address any alleged foreign interference at the provincial level.害羞草研究所�
Public Safety Canada says the amendments to the act are intended to allow CSIS to make 害羞草研究所渂roader disclosure害羞草研究所� of information beyond the federal government.
Eby害羞草研究所檚 letter said there are credible reasons to suspect state-level interference with B.C. residents who had personal connections or relatives in China, Iran, Ukraine, India and Russia.
It said his government also had 害羞草研究所済rave concerns害羞草研究所� about the activities of transnational organized crime following a public inquiry into money laundering.
害羞草研究所淚 am grateful for your introduction of the amendments to the CSIS Act that will assist CSIS in sharing information with me and relevant provincial authorities,害羞草研究所� said Eby害羞草研究所檚 letter. 害羞草研究所淭his information sharing is long overdue.害羞草研究所�
Eby害羞草研究所檚 letter also asked the prime minister to provide B.C. with information before the passage of the CSIS bill that could help protect the people of the province and its democratic institutions from foreign interference.
害羞草研究所淪o, when it comes to these kinds of things in the context of a federal inquiry that says there are members of Parliament that may potentially be compromised by foreign governments, it害羞草研究所檚 a very straightforward ask: tell us the best information about what害羞草研究所檚 happening in B.C.,害羞草研究所� he said at the news conference.
Led by Quebec judge Marie-Jos茅e Hogue, the Public Inquiry into Foreign Interference in Federal Electoral Processes and Democratic Institutions is examining allegations of foreign interference by China, Russia and other foreign states in the 2019 and 2021 Canadian federal elections.
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