Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is alleged to have ignored advice from Canada’s equivalent of the FBI that a member of his party had deep connections to the Chinese Communist Party. Allegations made over the weekend claim that Trudeau ignored several tips from the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) and that there may be as many as 11 China-backed politicians inside Trudeau’s Liberal Party, all of which serve the Toronto area.

CSIS investigators said that Chinese Canadian seniors and students were bussed into certain areas to vote for candidate Han Dong in the 2019 election, which Trudeau won.

Trudeau was asked about the allegations at a press conference on Monday, to which he praised the candidate under fire. Dong has denied any wrongdoing and vehemently opposes the accusations.

“In early 2019, we stood up both an intelligence task force, and a high-level panel consisting of top public servants to be able to ensure that the integrity of our elections is not compromised by foreign interference,” Trudeau said. “Good news, obviously, they determined in both the 2019 and 2021 elections that our election integrity held.

When asked directly if Trudeau had been advised by CSIS not to run the allegedly China-backed candidate, Trudeau said that there are “1.7 million Canadians who proudly trace their origins back to China.

“Those Canadians should always be welcomed as full Canadians and encouraged to stand for office, to get involved in their communities and to take on part of the leadership of this country.

“… We are extraordinarily lucky and happy to have a member of Parliament like Han Dong in our midst, serving his community, serving our country alongside Chinese Canadian MPs from different parts of the country, alongside an extraordinary group of MPs who are proud Canadians, even as they trace their origins to elsewhere around the world, and that is as it should be.”

Trudeau on Han Dong and suspected election interference from China:

"In a free democracy it is not up to unelected security officials to dictate to political parties who can and cannot run." pic.twitter.com/Jnquzy70Xi

— The Post Millennial (@TPostMillennial) February 27, 2023

“In a free democracy, it is not up to unelected security officials to dictate to political parties who can or cannot run. That’s a really important principle,” Trudeau said. “The suggestions we’ve seen in the media that CSIS would somehow say, ‘no, this person can’t run…’ is not just false, it’s actually damaging to peoples’ confidence in our democratic and political institutions.”

When asked whether or not he was warned by CSIS about Han Dong and possible Chinese interference with the election, Trudeau says:

"Suggestions that he is somehow not loyal to Canada should not be entertained … CSIS is active in fighting against foreign interference…" pic.twitter.com/NNS31JcEXa

— The Post Millennial (@TPostMillennial) February 27, 2023