CSIS must inform MPs about all threats against them, no matter how credible: Trudeau

Photo: The Canadian Press

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau arrives to a cabinet meeting on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Tuesday, May 2, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick

Canada's intelligence agencies must immediately inform MPs of any threats against them, regardless of whether those threats are considered credible, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Wednesday.

Trudeau told reporters that the Canadian Security Intelligence Service never shared information it received about threats against Conservative MP Michael Chong and his family members who live in Hong Kong.

"CSIS made the determination that it wasn't something that needed to be raised to a higher level because it wasn't a significant enough concern," Trudeau said.

The prime minister said he only learned on Monday, after it was reported in the media, that CSIS had the intelligence two years ago.

He said that around the same time, CSIS was asked to brief Chong after China publicly said it would sanction him for criticizing Beijing's treatment of Uyghur Muslims in China's Xinjiang province.

But the agency never told Chong about any threats it was hearing about.

Speaking to reporters following his party's weekly caucus meeting, the longtime MP and former cabinet minister said he still has questions about what Trudeau, his office and his ministers knew about the matter.

"If ministers of the Crown and their offices were completely unaware of this, this shows an appalling breakdown (of) leadership on the part of the prime minister. The prime minister and the prime minister alone is responsible for the machinery of government," said Chong.

"For the prime minister not to know about this, not to be interested in this, I think … calls into question (his office's) handle on the machinery of government."

Chong said he has not spoken to his family in Hong Kong for years, and made a deliberate choice to sever contact with them out of an abundance of caution. He said he aimed to protect them amid China's incursions in Hong Kong.

He did not divulge the nature of the threats his relatives faced.

Trudeau asserted Wednesday that when it comes to the safety and security of members of Parliament or their families, the intelligence agencies should always make that information known.

"We're making it very, very clear to CSIS and our intelligence officials that when there are concerns that talk specifically about any MP, particularly about their family, those need to be elevated," he said.

"Even if CSIS doesn't feel that it's a sufficient level of concern for them to take more direct action, we still need to know about it at the upper government level. We are making that direction now."

On his way into his weekly caucus meeting on Wednesday morning, federal Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre said he could not imagine the country's national security service having such information and deciding to keep quiet.

"I find it very hard to believe that CSIS would produce a document about a Canadian MP's family being threatened because of a vote on the floor of the House of Commons and that they wouldn't tell the prime minister or his top public safety minister," Poilievre said.

"This is insane."

He said the only way to learn about CSIS's activities is through a public inquiry into foreign interference.

Trudeau has deferred a decision about whether to hold such an inquiry to former governor general David Johnston, who was appointed as a special rapporteur to probe how Canada and its intelligence agencies have handled the problem.

Johnston has until the fall to complete his work but has been asked to make a decision about whether an inquiry is needed by May 23.

Opposition parties want Trudeau to simply call an inquiry now.

NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh penned a letter to Trudeau Wednesday saying while he is glad to hear Chong was offered a briefing, he wants more information about how potential threats against other MPs are handled by Trudeau's office.