OTTAWA —The New Democrats have requested an emergency debate in Parliament about whether work by Republican party-affiliated operatives to help mobilize Alberta separatist votes amounts to foreign interference in the Alberta referendum campaign as Canada’s public safety minister deferred such questions Monday to the national spy service.
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minister → request → service
Responding to new concerns raised by a Globe and Mail story that detailed the connections between Alberta separatists and Republican party strategists who developed a voter mobilization app, and that detailed the Albertans’ pitch to U.S. State Department officials about future exports of Alberta resources like water and oil to the U.S., Gary Anandasangaree declined to say whether it is foreign influence or, worse, interference.
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it → respond → U.S.
He twice referred reporters to the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS).
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He → refer → Service
“What I will say in general terms is, as electoral events take place, democratic events take place, we expect them to be governed in .... democratic principles, where foreign interference or actors influencing local electoral events does not occur,” he said.
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he → say → events
The Prime Minister’s Office declined to offer specific answers Saturday when the Star asked about Prime Minister Mark Carney’s knowledge of and response to the concerns raised in the Globe story.
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Star → decline → story
“There is regular and ongoing engagement between national security agencies and the relevant authorities in Alberta to ensure the security of the referendum,” said spokesperson Audrey Champoux.
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Champoux → be → referendum
“This is the case any time Canadians go to the polls federally or provincially, as part of a continued commitment to protecting our democratic processes.
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Canadians → go → processes
But Conservative MP Dane Lloyd, whose group Conservatives for Canada is campaigning for the federalist or “remain” side of the referendum question, said it is cause for concern.
“Nobody, absolutely nobody, has a right to promise away Alberta’s birthright, which is our natural resources.”
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which → campaign → birthright
Lloyd said.
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Lloyd → say → ?
“Those belong to the people of Alberta, and I will never condone even one cent of Alberta’s royalties going towards any foreign government.”
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cent → belong → government
New Democrat MP Heather McPherson is calling for the House of Commons to immediately examine the issue in an emergency debate, and allow opposition MPs to probe what the federal government has done to address the concerns.
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government → call → concerns
McPherson said she does not believe the federal government is “taking this as seriously as they need to.”
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they → say → this
Lloyd stopped short of saying the reported activity amounts to foreign interference.
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activity → stop → interference
“I think we have to get more information on this, but it’s obviously very concerning,” he said.
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he → think → this
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith has not publicly addressed the concerns, but her spokesman distanced Smith from any connection to the activity that’s raising alarms.
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that → address → alarms
“The premier is not affiliated with these individuals and has no knowledge of these alleged meetings.
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premier → affiliate → meetings
She also opposes separation or becoming a U.S. state,” Sam Blackett said in a written statement.
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Blackett → oppose → statement
“In fact, many of these individuals in question have been relentlessly attacking the premier for her support for remaining in Canada.”
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many → attack → Canada
Last week, the U.S. embassy said it had not identified which U.S. State Department officials had met with representatives of the separatist Alberta Prosperity Project, whose organizers acknowledged in January that they had travelled to Washington.
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they → say → Washington
The Globe reported two of the Alberta participants disputed what was discussed in Washington.
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what → report → Washington
For weeks, the Star has sought clarity from the federal government about concerns around potential foreign influence or interference in the Alberta referendum, and whether it had directed the Security and Intelligence Threats to Elections (SITE) task force — comprised of officials from CSIS, the Communications Security Establishment (CSE), Global Affairs Canada and the RCMP — to report on those threats.
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it → seek → threats
The Privy Council Office, answering for SITE, and CSIS have consistently offered non-responsive replies.
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Office → answer → replies
PCO spokesman Pierre Coguen said the agencies involved take “any attempts” at foreign interference with “the utmost seriousness” and “will take action to protect Canadians from all manners of foreign interference, including in the context of Alberta’s referendum.
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agencies → say → referendum
This work includes regular and ongoing engagement with relevant authorities in Alberta.”
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work → include → Alberta
Similarly, CSIS offered little other than to say it remains “vigilant” and declined to answer questions in any more depth.
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it → offer → depth
“In order to protect sources, tradecraft and methods, we do not, however, confirm nor disclose investigative details, including whether an investigation is ongoing.
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investigation → protect → details
CSIS will continue to release information at appropriate times about specific threats when it is able to do so and when it’s in the interests of Canada’s national security,” said spokesman Eric Balsam.
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Balsam → continue → security
The first is generally understood to be covert, while the latter is seen as overt activity that falls below the interference threshold.
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that → understand → threshold
In the wake of nationwide concern about the extent of foreign interference in Canada by countries like Russia, China, India, Iran and other players identified by a public inquiry, Ottawa established an Office of the Foreign Influence Commissioner of Canada to register people or organizations who might be subject to foreign actors trying to flex their muscles in Canada.
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who → identify → Canada
That office said two weeks ago that it was “aware” of concerns about foreign influence in Alberta, and had reached out to individuals and organizations there to remind them of their public reporting obligations.
But the office has turned down repeated requests since then for more information or an interview with commissioner Anton Boegman, who said in August that his main job is to ensure transparency for Canadians.
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job → say → Canadians
“We cannot disclose the identities or number of individuals and organizations contacted, nor can we comment on potential registrants or compliance matters,” said a media communications response, signed only by a “Charlaine S.”
Anandasangaree shrugged off questions about why the office isn’t proactively providing transparency about the Alberta separatist connections with foreigners.
“The process of registration and ongoing reporting is just in the early stages, so we’re hoping in the coming months and years that (it) would become more of a robust registry for information to be gathered and for disclosures,” he said.
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he → disclose → disclosures
The Aporia
