CSIS reached out to chief electoral officer on possible foreign interference

Canada’s spy agency told chief electoral officer Stéphane Perrault that it believed there could be a case of foreign interference in a 2019 nomination race.

The revelation came as Perrault testified at the public inquiry into foreign election inquiry Thursday, which zeroed in on party nomination contests and how hostile actors may attempt to meddle in Canadian democracy even before an election begins.

Perrault told the commission that CSIS informed him of a “fact situation that could have involved foreign interference related to voting in the nomination contest in the riding of Don Valley.”

But Perrault, said he could not identify the party or candidate involved for legal reasons.

Global News reported last year national security sources were convinced it was the Liberals’ nomination race in 2019 and that Chinese state actors were involved.

Han Dong won the Don Valley North nomination contest and went onto become the member of Parliament. He now sits as an independent MP.

Dong denies allegations the Chinese helped his campaign and is suing Global News. He was not at Thursday’s hearing. Dong’s lawyer was present but had no questions for Perrault.

Throughout the inquiry, the commission heard nomination contests can be particularly vulnerable to foreign influence because there are few rules that govern how parties select candidates in individual ridings.

Despite the concerns, Perrault said there is “generally no appetite” from political parties to “regulate” the process.

After Perrault says he received information from CSIS about the Don Valley race, he “determined that no action could be taken, in part because participation in a nomination contest is not regulated in the same way as an election.”

“The only aspect that is regulated is