India, Pakistan attempted to interfere in Canada's elections: CSIS

The governments of India and Pakistan attempted to interfere in Canada's federal elections in 2019 and 2021, Canada's spy agency said in documents made public late Thursday night.

In 2021, the government of India had «intent to interfere and likely conducted clandestine activities,» including using an Indian government proxy agent in Canada, according to an unclassified summary written by the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS).

Two years earlier, in 2019, «Government of Pakistan officials in Canada attempted to clandestinely influence Canadian federal politics with the aim of furthering the Government of Pakistan's interests in Canada,» CSIS wrote.

The stark assessments are contained in documents that were tabled as part of the federal commission of inquiry into foreign interference. The public inquiry is examining possible meddling by China, India, Russia and others in the 2019 and 2021 federal elections.

The reports all bear notes of caution about the summaries being possibly uncorroborated, single-sourced or incomplete. CSIS Director David Vigneault told the public inquiry that intelligence is not necessarily fact, and said it may require further investigation.

Pakistan a 'limited foreign interference actor'

The government of Pakistan's foreign interference against Canada was «primarily to promote political, security and economic stability in Pakistan and to counter India's growing global influence,» read one CSIS assessment, noting that Pakistan was a «limited foreign interference actor» in 2019 and 2021.

In the case of the 2019 election, CSIS said the Canadian government conducted what it called a «threat reduction measure» ahead of the vote, meant to «reduce the foreign interference threat posed by the