Liberals Won’t Get to the Bottom of NATO Security Failure

Ottawa, ON – Frank Caputo, Conservative Shadow Minister for Public Safety; Dane Lloyd, Conservative Shadow Minister for National Security; Rhonda Kirkland, Conservative Associate Shadow Minister for Public Safety; and Rob Morrison, Member of Parliament for Columbia—Kootenay—Southern Rockies, issued the following statement on the Public Safety Minister’s testimony at the Standing Committee on Public Safety and National Security regarding serious allegations of espionage involving a former Canadian intern at NATO headquarters in Belgium:

“For months, the Liberal Public Safety Minister promised to ‘get to the bottom of what happened.’ Yet, after today’s hearing and repeated questions from Conservatives, Canadians have no answers and no assurances that these failures won’t be repeated. 

“How was a Canadian now facing serious espionage allegations able to secure an internship at NATO military headquarters? What security screening was conducted? Were there any warning signs identified by Canadian authorities or our allies? What specific steps is the government taking to ensure this never happens again? 

“The Liberal Public Safety Minister was expected to provide clear answers to serious questions. Instead, he deflected and refused to be accountable for failures in his own department. 

“Canadians deserve confidence that anyone granted access to sensitive institutions is thoroughly vetted and that potential threats are identified before they can put our national interests at risk.

“At a time when Canada’s sovereignty depends on strong relationships with trusted allies, this incident has damaged our reputation within NATO and embarrassed our country abroad. As a founding member of the alliance, the Liberals must restore the highest security standards and maintain the trust of our allies.

“Conservatives will strengthen security screening, safeguard sensitive information and maintain the trust of our NATO allies. We will always put Canada first to protect our sovereignty and will continue to demand answers on this serious security breach.”