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Conservative Party leader Pierre Poilievre has dismissed allegations that India played a role in his 2022 leadership victory, asserting that he won the race fairly and without external assistance.
“Let’s be honest, I won the leadership fair and square,” Poilievre told reporters on Tuesday, responding to criticisms from Liberal, NDP, and Bloc Québécois leaders regarding his refusal to obtain security clearance for classified briefings on foreign interference.
Calls It a Political Attack
Poilievre described a recent report by The Globe and Mail as a political attack aimed at discrediting him. The report, which cited an anonymous source with top-secret clearance, alleged that Indian agents and their allies helped mobilize support for Poilievre within the South Asian community as part of a broader effort to strengthen ties with Canadian politicians across party lines.
The Conservative leader defended his decision to decline national-security clearance, claiming it was a tactic by the Liberal government to silence him.
“What I will not do is commit to the oath of secrecy that the Liberals want to impose on me,” Poilievre said. “They don’t want me to speak about these matters, so they bring me into a dark room and say, ‘We’re going to give you a little bit of breadcrumbs of intel, and then we’ll tell you you can’t talk about this stuff anymore.’”
Pierre Poilievre Denying The Security Clearance
Poilievre remains the only federal party leader who has refused to undergo the security clearance process, which is managed by the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) and neutral government officials. The process is designed to keep sensitive national security details confidential, even from the prime minister, political staff, and cabinet ministers.
According to The Globe and Mail, CSIS did not notify Poilievre about the alleged Indian interference because he does not hold the necessary security clearance to access classified reports. Poilievre pointed out that the intelligence agency found no evidence that he or his team were aware of any foreign involvement.
“The CSIS report itself says they had no proof that I or my campaign had any knowledge of this,” he noted.
The newspaper did not disclose its source, as they were not authorized to share classified information.
Political Rivals Criticize Stance of Pierre Poilievre
With the Canadian federal elections approaching, Poilievre’s decision to reject security briefings has drawn criticism from his opponents. Leaders from the Liberal Party, NDP, and Bloc Québécois argue that refusing the classified briefing hinders transparency and accountability in addressing foreign interference concerns.
Also Read: Canada Claims India Is Plotting To Meddle In Elections, Spy Agency Sounds The Alarm
