Security committee of parliamentarians begins latest foreign interference study

The committee of parliamentarians that oversees national security says it has begun a study of foreign interference, following a request from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

In a statement, the National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians says it will examine the state of foreign interference in Canada's democratic processes since 2018.

The review will continue the work done in its previous review of the government's response to foreign interference, which covered the period from 2015 to 2018.

The committee says it will also consider the independent report by former public servant Morris Rosenberg on the federal protocol for monitoring foreign interference attempts during the last general election.

The committee, chaired by Liberal MP David McGuinty, plans to consult other review bodies as needed to avoid duplication as it develops its terms of reference for the latest review.

Earlier this week, Trudeau urged the committee and another spy watchdog, the National Security and Intelligence Review Agency, to look into foreign interference in light of recent concerns about possible Chinese meddling in the last two federal elections.