India meddles in Canada's Conservative Party leadership race, claims report
- Reports allege that Indian agents attempted to influence the Conservative Party leadership race by engaging in fundraising and outreach within Canada's South Asian community.
- The Globe and Mail highlighted that Canadian intelligence officials found no evidence linking Pierre Poilievre to the alleged interference, asserting that he was unaware of these activities.
- These allegations intensified scrutiny on foreign influence in Canadian elections, with ongoing debates surrounding the necessity of security clearance for political leaders.
In Canada, tensions have escalated between the government and India after reports emerged alleging that Indian agents interfered in the Conservative Party leadership race. Pierre Poilievre, who won the leadership race in 2022 with 68% of the vote, responded to these allegations by declaring he won "fair and square" and noted that he was not aware of any such activities. The Globe and Mail reported that Canadian intelligence officials found no evidence suggesting that this alleged interference influenced the election outcome. However, the topic of foreign meddling in Canadian elections has become a major concern, prompting a public inquiry to investigate these claims, which have implicated not only India but also China, Russia, and Pakistan as potential threats.