He referenced a recent report that determined there was interference during the last campaign but it did not merit a public alert. The same probe recommended the government lower the threshold for notifying Canadians about anything subversive that could undermine the country’s elections.

Trudeau became increasingly combative with reporters in Winnipeg as he faced rolling questions about public trust and foreign interference.

“There are ongoing public committee hearings happening right now where those heads of agencies and people responsible for safety and integrity of our elections are testifying publicly on all the work that’s being done,” he said.

A poll released this week by the Angus Reid Institute suggests two in three Canadians believe the Chinese government attempted to interfere in the past two federal elections.

During the past week, Trudeau’s national security adviser, senior officials and heads of spy agencies testified at the all-party House committee. Each was explicit about the challenges of dealing with classified materials in a public forum.

David Vigneault, director of Canada’s top spy agency, confirmed an internal hunt is underway at the Canadian Security Intelligence Service to track down who leaked details to media.

Trudeau pointed out that in 2017 his government created the National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians, an all-party bloc with top secret security clearances to probe sensitive national security matters. The committee is not currently studying the new allegations of election interference involving Beijing.

“The government will continue to strengthen our capacity to counter those attempts at foreign interference that come from China, from Russia, from Iran, from other countries that are looking to destabilize and throw chaos into our democracies,” he said.

Trudeau is facing growing pressure from opposition Conservatives, New Democrats and Bloc Québécois parties to launch a public probe after leaks reported by the Globe and Mail and Global News insinuate Beijing ran covert campaigns in support of 11 federal candidates.a

The reports highlight activity from China’s consulates in Toronto and Vancouver as examples of suspicious and potentially illegal activity that merits further discussion.

Media leaks from the Canadian Security Intelligence Service, Canada’s top spy agency, allege diplomats even boasted about their role in unseating two incumbent Conservatives in British Columbia in the 2021 election. The Chinese consulate in Vancouver has denied the allegation.

Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly raised the issue with Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang on the sidelines of a G-20 meeting in New Delhi.

A readout from Joly’s office said the Canadian minister stressed that Ottawa has a zero-tolerance policy on foreign interference by Beijing. She reportedly warned Qin that “any breach by Chinese diplomats” would be handled under the international rules on diplomatic relations.

Another leak alleged Toronto Liberal MP Han Dong was a Beijing-supported candidate in the 2021 election, prompting intelligence officials at the time to advise Trudeau’s office to drop him as a candidate. Trudeau and Dong have denied the claim.

Despite the headlines, Canada’s national police agency, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, confirmed to MPs this week they are not investigating any allegations related to foreign interference from the most recent election.

Caroline Simard, commissioner of Canada Elections, who has the authority to lay charges, told MPs on Thursday that her office is conducting an impartial and independent review of allegations of foreign interference.

Simard confirmed her office has received 158 complaints stemming from 10 potential violations of the federal elections law during the 2019 election; and 16 complaints related to 13 situations during the 2021 election.

The review is ongoing. No charges have yet been laid.