Indian agents meddled in leadership race of Canada Conservatives: Canadian outlet

A Canadian media outlet on Tuesday alleged that “Indian agents” interfered in the Conservative Party’s leadership race in 2022. The Conservative Party is headed by Pierre Polievre and is the favourite to win the Canadian general election in 2025 by beating the Justin Trudeau-led Liberal Party of Canada. However, those directly involved in the Conservative Party election process have junked the claims of the Canadian news outlet.

The CBC News report alleged, citing unnamed sources speaking to Radio-Canada, that the “Indian government attempted to derail” Patrick Brown’s campaign for the leadership of the Conservative Party in 2022. Patrick Brown is currently the Mayor of Brampton, a township in the Greater Toronto Area.

Brown outrightly rejected the idea that the final outcome had been altered due to interference.

According to CBC News, the Indian government allegedly pressured Conservative MP Michelle Rempel Garner to withdraw her support for Brown in 2022. Garner was serving as the co-chair of Brown’s national campaign but resigned from her role on June 16, 2022, in the middle of the Conservative leadership race. She did not return to the campaign afterward.

Rempel Garner has denied these allegations.

In a written statement to CBC News, she said, “I left Mr Brown’s campaign completely of my own volition. In no instance was I coerced in any manner, by anyone, at any time. I am an experienced parliamentarian, seasoned communicator, and former cabinet minister who has proven more than capable of developing senior-grade positions entirely based on my own read of a situation… to suggest that I’m not is ridiculous.”

The leadership contest was decisively won by Pierre Poilievre, the current leader of the Conservative Party. In September 2022, Poilievre secured victory on the first ballot, earning 68% of the available points.

Before this, Brown was disqualified by Conservative Party officials in July 2022 over allegations of “serious wrongdoing” related to election financing. At the time, Brown accused the “party establishment” of wanting to ensure Poilievre would win.

The CBC report also noted there was no evidence suggesting Poilievre was aware of the alleged interference by “Indian agents”.

Even Patrick Brown issued a statement on December 2 and rejected reports that the outcome had been altered due to interference.

“I have no reason to believe that such interference altered the final outcome of the 2022 Conservative Party of Canada leadership race.” He added, “I take foreign interference very seriously but have no desire to get involved in partisan disputes in Ottawa,” said Brown.

Brown’s statement comes as the House of Commons Standing Committee on Public Safety and National Security, which has summoned him, investigates claims of Indian agents meddling in the election race.

Brown expressed concern that his appearance was being sought for political reasons rather than substantive policy matters. “I have no new evidence to contribute to the committee’s proceedings,” he stated.

Meanwhile, a Conservative Party spokesperson told CBC News that the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) never informed them of any intelligence suggesting foreign interference in the leadership contest.

“This is the first time we are hearing about it,” the spokesperson said.

In February 2024, the Office of the Commissioner of Canada Elections dismissed the allegations against Brown’s campaign. After a thorough review of information provided by the Conservative Party, the commissioner concluded it was “not in the public interest” to pursue an investigation and declared the case “closed”.

The CBC News report emerged amid struggles for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s ruling Liberal Party, which is trailing the Conservatives by nearly 20% in recent polls. If the Conservatives win the 2025 election, Pierre Poilievre would become the Canadian PM.

The government is also expected to face a no-confidence motion from the Opposition in the coming days. In September, the Trudeau government also faced a no-confidence vote in Parliament but survived.