Canadian politicians work for foreign powers, says Canada spy chief

Richard Fadden

By IAN ALLEN | intelNews.org |
The Canadian state’s senior intelligence executive caused an uproar last weekend after he claimed that several Canadian politicians were under the control of foreign governments. In an interview for an investigative program on state-owned CBC television, Richard Fadden, Director of the Canadian Security Intelligence Services (CSIS), said that his intelligence officers are aware of “some political figures who have developed quite an attachment to foreign countries”. He also claimed that CSIS investigators were aware of at least two cabinet ministers in two Canadian provinces, who were “agents of influence”, as well as other public officials that were secretly representing “foreign interests”.  Several commentators have suggested that Fadden’s comments were directed at China, whose President, Hu Jintao, is currently on a visit to Canada to attend the G20 summit. The Canadian government tried to tone down the controversy caused by the CSIS Director’s comments, as did the Office of the Prime Minister. The latter issued a public statement claiming it was unaware of the accuracy and meaning of Fadden’s comments. But Canadian opposition parliamentarians in the Commons have vowed to get to the bottom of Fadden’s revelations, and have asked the Commons Committee on Public Safety to hold an emergency hearing to probe the CSIS chief.