The West Block transcript- Episode 20, Season 13

THE WEST BLOCK
Episode 20, Season 13
Sunday, January 28, 2024

Host: Mercedes Stephenson

Guest:
Dick Fadden, Former National Security Advisor
Vina Nadjibulla, Vice President of Research and Strategy,
Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada

Inside Politics Panel:
Robert Fife, The Globe and Mail
Stephanie Levitz, The Toronto Star

Location:
Ottawa Studio

Mercedes Stephenson: As crucial hearings into foreign interference start Monday, the list of countries accused of medalling in Canada’s democracy rose.

I’m Mercedes Stephenson. The West Block starts now.

China, Russia, and now India, have been accused of interfering in Canadian elections. Will Canadians find out what actually happened and get the answers they’re looking for?

And our inside politics panel tackles the busy week ahead, with the House returning and leadership questions plaguing the Liberal leader.

It’s an issue that strikes at the heart of our democracy and questions the limits of our national security.

The federal inquiry into foreign interference starts tomorrow in Ottawa. It’s expected to highlight China’s level of aggression. It might also aggravate already tense relations with India, and could reveal attempted medalling by Russia. It’s the next step in what has been a long and sometimes controversial investigation.

Erin O’Toole, Former Conservative Leader: “We must acknowledge that we’ve not been doing enough to safeguard our democracy.”

Mercedes Stephenson: That was former Conservative leader Erin O’Toole after he says that he and some in his party were targeted by China.

The Canadian Security Intelligence Service had warned Beijing wanted a Liberal government victory in 2021.

After much political pressure, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau appointed David Johnston as