Breaking: CSIS Director changed report on PRC interference in MP Han Dong's riding after discussion with PM Trudeau's advisor

Foreign Interference Commission hears 2019 CSIS assessment that a "politically-connected Canadian" impacted the fed election was "recalled"

After the 2019 federal election CSIS director David Vigneault decided to “recall” a controversial intelligence assessment saying a “politically-connected Canadian” had impacted Canada’s 2019 vote in Liberal MP Han Dong’s Toronto riding, Ottawa’s Foreign Interference Commission heard Thursday.

Explosive documents tabled while Vigneault was examined on his decision said the October 2019 CSIS assessment regarding suspected PRC interference in Dong’s campaign was shared with senior government officials including Trudeau’s then National Security Advisor.

“An internal CSIS email sent shortly after the assessment was published says that [Vigneault] asked for the assessment to be recalled further to a discussion with the NSIA [National Security Intelligence Advisor],” the documents say.

The Commission also heard that CSIS management only shared the Han Dong alert with Ottawa’s so-called “SITE” election threat task force on October 29th, after the 2019 election.

“The chair of SITE TF told CSIS that he believed that the information should have been shared with [SITE] sooner, and in particular before the election, given its significance,” Commission documents say.

This is the first time the Commission has heard that Vigneault agreed to redraft a portion of the intelligence regarding Han Dong, Trudeau’s 2019 candidate in Don Valley North.