Majority of Canadians want names and jail time for MPs accused of foreign interference

By Isaac Lamoureux, True North Wire

Nearly seven in ten Canadians believe that the names of MPs involved in foreign interference should be released immediately, and they should be forced to explain themselves publicly. Meanwhile, 65% think that these MPs should be criminally charged and jailed, according to a new poll.

The Nanos research, released on Monday, mirrors findings from an Angus Reid poll, which found that 69% of Canadians believe that the government should release the list of MPs suspected of collaborating with foreign governments.

The names of elected officials collaborating with foreign governments were mentioned in a report from the National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians that was tabled in the House of Commons at the beginning of June. The tabled report contained numerous redactions, concealing the names of those accused of participating in foreign interference.

Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre has criticized the Liberals for not releasing the names of parliamentarians in the NSICOP report.

In turn, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh have attacked Poilievre for refusing to read the unredacted version, arguing that his ability to oppose the government would be compromised by reading the report.

Some leaders who read the report weren’t on the same page. Singh said that there were MPs who knowingly participated in foreign interference, while Green Party Leader Elizabeth May said of the same report that there was no list of treacherous MPs and that the media blew the allegations out of proportion.