The Liberal Party will table a motion today to compel the Harper government to publicly apologize for smearing the Chinese-Canadian community and to call on CSIS Director Richard Fadden to resign.
The motion comes after Public Safety Minister Vic Toews refused to explain the Harper government’s complicity in Mr. Fadden’s allegations during an appearance before the Parliamentary Public Safety committee. Mr. Fadden said in a media interview earlier this year that some municipal officials, provincial and federal politicians are being influenced by foreign governments and that there are communities where espionage is of great concern.
“If Prime Minister Stephen Harper wants his minister to duck and hide from this issue rather than explaining to the Chinese community the nature and basis for these allegations, then we see no other recourse than to insist on an apology and Mr. Fadden’s immediate resignation,” said Liberal MP Joyce Murray.
When Mr. Fadden made his allegations on the CBC in June, the Harper government quickly moved to distance itself from what was said, yet a letter from Fadden made public in August confirmed that he had discussions with Minister Toews about these allegations well before the CBC interview and all his remarks were reviewed and cleared by the Minister’s office.
“There are thousands of Canadians who feel slighted and humiliated by a senior government official who deliberately cast suspicion on their loyalty,” said Ms. Murray. “We are appealing for justice by asking the government to apologize for their hurtful action and to remove Mr. Fadden from his position. Only these actions will restore fairness for the Chinese and other cultural communities.”
In Ms. Murray’s motion, to be tabled at the Public Safety committee, Liberals are calling on the Conservative government to “unreservedly” apologize for approving and allowing Mr. Fadden to make unsupported assertions, and to apologize in the House of Commons to the Chinese Canadian community and other cultural communities incriminated and offended by Mr. Fadden’s allegations “concerning heinous interference in domestic politics.” The motion also calls on Mr. Fadden to tender his resignation as CSIS Director.
“We know that Mr. Fadden’s claims were discussed with Minister Toews and the Privy Council Office, and questions remain about whether this government was involved in what has amounted to a smear campaign on whole communities from the very beginning,” said Liberal Public Safety Critic Mark Holland.
“All we are asking is that they take responsibility for their actions and for the CSIS Director’s remarks. The Director of our Intelligence Service must work for all of us, regardless of our backgrounds, and he has lost the trust and the confidence of the Canadian people. The government must apologize and Mr. Fadden simply has to go.”
