Trudeau, other officials set to reappear at foreign interference inquiry

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his inner circle are expected to return to a federal inquiry into foreign interference in the coming weeks.

A newly released provisional witness list for the next phase of the inquiry reveals that senior government officials and national security agency members will also provide testimony.

Earlier this year, Trudeau and key government figures participated in the inquiry’s initial hearings, which addressed allegations of foreign interference in the 2019 and 2021 federal elections.

Commissioner Marie-Josée Hogue’s interim report, published in May, concluded that while China’s foreign interference did not alter the overall outcomes of the two elections, there may have been effects on a small number of ridings, though this cannot be confirmed with certainty.

The upcoming public hearings, beginning Monday as part of the inquiry’s second factual phase, will examine the effectiveness of federal agencies in detecting, deterring, and countering foreign interference.