Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s decision to prorogue Parliament for nearly three months will not impact the public inquiry into foreign interference, which is still due to submit its final report by the end of January, a spokesperson said Monday.
Trudeau said Monday he was proroguing Parliament until March 24 to allow for the Liberal party to hold a leadership contest, and that he will resign as leader and prime minister after a successor is chosen.
The move suspends all legislative business and committee activity in the House of Commons and the Senate, but the government will continue to function — as will independent offices like the Foreign Interference Commission.
“The prorogation of Parliament will not have an impact on the work of the commission, which intends to submit its report to the government no later than Jan. 31, 2025,” spokesperson Michael Tansey told Global News in an email.
The commission was originally due to submit its final report at the end of 2024, but asked the government in November for a one-month extension, which was granted.
The inquiry was first established in September 2023 after a series of reports by Global News and the Globe and Mail exposed alleged attempts at meddling by foreign actors like China in recent federal elections, and raised questions about the government’s response.
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Multiple government officials, including Trudeau, have testified to the commission.
The inquiry’s latest public hearings last fall looked at the ability of agencies to identify and counter foreign interference.
It also held a series of policy roundtables to help develop recommendations.
In an interim report in May, inquiry commissioner Marie-Josée Hogue said foreign meddling by China did not affect the overall results of the last two general elections.
The report said while outcomes in a small number of ridings may have been affected by interference, this cannot be said with certainty.
—with files from the Canadian Press
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