Two former top federal officials who had alleged links to a 2017 memo to the prime minister on Chinese regime interference told a committee of MPs they have no recollection of the matter.
“I have no memory of seeing that note,” Michael Wernick told the House of Commons Procedure and House Affairs Committee (PROC) on April 18.
Wernick is the former Clerk of the Privy Council, the top public service role managing the Privy Council Office (PCO), which supports the functioning of the prime minister’s department.
Wernick served in that role from 2016 to 2019 and was invited to the committee to share his knowledge as PROC studies foreign interference. He is currently the Jarislowsky Chair in Public Sector Management at the University of Ottawa.
The former top public servant was asked about one of the multiple national security leaks to appear in the media in recent months on the topic.
The report said the “Memorandum for the Prime Minister” had also been provided to Wernick, according to records.
But Global added it wasn’t clear whether the memo had been sent to Trudeau, with the document it saw not having been signed or stamped.
The memo reportedly discussed Beijing’s efforts to infiltrate “all levels of government” and that its agents were “assisting Canadian candidates running for political offices.”
“I left government four years ago today. I did not take any records or secret documents with me, I don’t have access to document logs, I don’t have my old calendars, and I don’t have access to any records,” Wernick said to explain his lack of recollection.
Conservative MP Michael Cooper, after receiving this response to his question, asked Wernick what he knew about foreign interference by the Chinese regime at that time.
“Did you have information that Beijing officials were actively pursuing a strategy to infiltrate or interfere in our democratic processes?” he asked.
“Not that I recall,” Wernick said, adding that the main preoccupation was then Russia and its potential to disrupt elections.
Wernick was also asked about a National Intelligence Assessment produced in 2019 on espionage, foreign interference, and threats to the 2019 federal election.
“China is still the most active and sophisticated perpetrator of espionage and foreign interference activities in Canada,” said Conservative MP Blaine Calkins as he read from the redacted document.
Calkins asked how Wernick could not be familiar with the topic given the assessment was produced by his office. “Can you circle that square for me, Mr. Wernick?”
Wernick said he had no recollection of seeing that note. “Maybe I did, maybe I didn’t, I just don’t remember.”
Former NSIA Jean testified after Wernick and was also asked by Cooper to provide information on the 2017 memo that Telford reportedly requested him to prepare. Jean did not confirm the existence of the memo. Like Wernick, he said he left government years ago.
“I’ve been out of the PCO for five years, so I don’t have any access to my records. ... Having said that, even if I had I wouldn’t be able to discuss a classified memo,” said Jean, who served as NSIA from 2016 to 2018.
“But I don’t want to be seen as trying to evade the question,” he continued, limiting himself to saying that he had briefed the prime minister on foreign interference from China and other countries in the context of “growing concern” from his office and some of Canada’s allies.
Jean similarly said that the concern at the time was more related to Russia, and although there existed a growing preoccupation with the Chinese regime it was not necessarily on the foreign interference front.
“Our concerns were a lot more on some of the issues like acquisition of sensitive technology, what we like to refer to as economic security,” he said.
Telford was also asked about the 2017 memo when she testified before the committee on April 14.
“I ask a lot of questions and a lot of meetings and sometimes my name also gets attached to things, even when it’s not coming directly with me,” she said, adding she couldn’t speak to the specifics of the memo to protect sensitive information.
“My understanding through the reporting is that this was an unsigned memo, and it’s particularly strange and not my experience to receive unsigned memos [in the Prime Minister’s Office],” Telford said.
PROC is one of the bodies currently reviewing the threat of foreign interference. The Commons ethics committee is also currently reviewing the matter, while the National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians (NSICOP) will also begin a review.
Opposition parties have requested holding a public inquiry on the matter, but the Liberal government has instead announced various measures, such as asking NSICOP to conduct a review.
Another measure is the appointment of former governor general David Johnston as special rapporteur to evaluate the country’s response to the threat and formulate recommendations. Those are expected to be provided in the coming weeks and could include calling for a public inquiry.
Opposition party leaders have questioned Johnston’s suitability for the task given his close links to Trudeau and his recent involvement with the Trudeau Foundation, itself embroiled in foreign interference controversy for taking money from businessmen tied to the Chinese regime.
Trudeau has defended Johnston’s integrity and called the criticism of his appointment “horrific partisan attacks.”
