Green Party Leader Elizabeth May says she has reviewed a top-secret parliamentary report on foreign interference and that there is no “list” of MPs who have been “disloyal” to Canada.
“I can say I have no worries about anyone in the House of Commons,” May told reporters Tuesday.
The Green Party leader has security clearance and requested to read the full version of the National Security Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians’ (NSICOP) report, which contained startling allegations that there are parliamentarians “wittingly” or “semi-wittingly” collaborating with foreign governments.
The redacted report was made public last Monday and did not include the identities of any parliamentarians or indicate whether they might be members of the House of Commons or the Senate. Since its release, pressure has mounted on the government to make their names public.
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The Conservatives have called for the release of their identities, but the Liberals say they can’t because they’re bound by Canada’s official secrets law.
“Having read the full unredacted National Security Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians report for myself … I am vastly relieved,” May said.
However, she did point to one former MP, referenced in the document, who May says the report alleges “proactively shared privileged information with a foreign operative” adding that person should be named and face consequences.
“This individual was entirely aware of the circumstances and was witting. That person, a former MP whose name is not included in the report, should be fully investigated, and prosecuted,” May said.
May declined to answer questions about how many parliamentarians are mentioned in the NSICOP report, which parties they belong to, and whether they are MPs or senators.
“There were no references specifically to the Senate in the report,” she said.
The Green Party leader said she knows which foreign government that former parliamentarian was reported to be working for but can’t reveal the country because of national security concerns.
May voted against a Bloc Québécois motion for the public inquiry into foreign election interference to expand its mandate and investigate the allegations of parliamentarians colluding with other states.
The Liberals, Conservatives and NDP supported the measure.
But May said it’s “throwing a hot potato in the wrong soup pot.”
“Madame Justice Hogue has a lot on her plate and short timelines. Her inquiry is not ideally suited to what the Canadian public needs to know now,” May said.
More to come…
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