China interfered in Canadian politics, but official reviews did not find that it changed which party formed government.
The 2025 final report of the Public Inquiry into Foreign Interference found ample evidence that foreign states, including the PRC, interfered in the 2019 and 2021 elections. It also concluded that the electoral system itself retained its integrity and that foreign interference did not affect which party came to power nationally. The inquiry said it was possible that interference affected results in a small number of ridings, but this could not be established with certainty.
No. The People's Republic of China did interfere in Canadian politics and in the environment surrounding the 2019 and 2021 federal elections, but the public inquiry concluded that this interference did not determine which party formed government. Commissioner Marie-Josée Hogue said she was confident the Liberals would have formed government in both elections even without foreign interference.
PRC foreign interference in Canada is documented and serious. The inquiry, CSIS and other Canadian institutions have described covert influence, targeting of diaspora communities and political actors, disinformation, clandestine relationships and efforts to shape political outcomes. The inquiry also concluded that interference may have affected nomination contests or a small number of riding-level results, although the ultimate impact is uncertain. It would therefore be wrong to dismiss the foreign-interference issue as invented.
The claim makes a much stronger assertion: that Beijing 'rigged' the federal election to keep the Liberals in power. The Hogue Commission found no evidence that foreign interference changed which party formed government in either 2019 or 2021 and stated that the Liberals would have formed government without it. The Commission also noted that Conservative Party representatives shared that national-level conclusion. Documented interference is not the same as control of the election result.
This is directly about whether foreign interference changed who governed Canada.
The inquiry concluded that foreign interference may have affected nomination contests or a small number of riding-level results, but the extent cannot be established with certainty from the available evidence.
Credible evidence showing that PRC interference changed enough riding outcomes to alter which party formed government would materially change the national 'rigged election' assessment.
The stronger claim that China 'rigged' the election to keep Liberals in power emerged from public interpretations of 2022–23 foreign-interference reporting. The audit did not verify a single first primary publisher of that exact claim, and the David Johnston report is verification/context rather than its origin.
The PRC interfered in Canadian politics and the 2019/2021 election environment — Supported Some nomination contests or riding-level outcomes may have been affected — Possible / not fully quantifiable Canada's electoral system as a whole lost integrity — Not supported by the public inquiry PRC interference changed which party formed government — Not supported / contradicted by the inquiry's conclusion China 'rigged' the election to keep the Liberals in power — False as stated
Canada; People's Republic of China
China rigged Canada election Liberals foreign interference 2019 2021 CCP
Fact check: China interfered in Canadian politics, but official reviews did not find that it changed which party formed government in 2019 or 2021.
Verdict: False · Confidence: High · Last reviewed: September 7, 2026 Original source: Origin unclear · No single primary origin could be reliably traced.
Short answer
No. The People's Republic of China did interfere in Canadian politics and in the environment surrounding the 2019 and 2021 federal elections, but the public inquiry concluded that this interference did not determine which party formed government. Commissioner Marie-Josée Hogue said she was confident the Liberals would have formed government in both elections even without foreign interference.
Claim breakdown
Part of the claim | Finding |
The PRC interfered in Canadian politics and the 2019/2021 election environment | Supported |
Some nomination contests or riding-level outcomes may have been affected | Possible / not fully quantifiable |
Canada's electoral system as a whole lost integrity | Not supported |
PRC interference changed which party formed government | Not supported |
China “rigged” the election to keep the Liberals in power | False as stated |
What's true
PRC foreign interference in Canada is documented and serious. The inquiry, CSIS and other Canadian institutions have described covert influence, targeting of diaspora communities and political actors, disinformation, clandestine relationships and efforts to shape political outcomes. The inquiry also concluded that interference may have affected nomination contests or a small number of riding-level results, although the ultimate impact is uncertain. It would therefore be wrong to dismiss the foreign-interference issue as invented.
What's wrong or missing
The claim makes a much stronger assertion: that Beijing “rigged” the federal election to keep the Liberals in power. The Hogue Commission found no evidence that foreign interference changed which party formed government in either 2019 or 2021 and stated that the Liberals would have formed government without it. The Commission also noted that Conservative Party representatives shared that national-level conclusion. Documented interference is not the same as control of the election result.
What the evidence shows
The Public Inquiry into Foreign Interference found ample evidence that foreign states, including the PRC, engaged in interference connected to the 2019 and 2021 elections. It nevertheless concluded that both elections were administered with integrity and that voters' ballots were faithfully cast and counted. On the national outcome, Commissioner Hogue's answer was explicit: foreign interference did not affect which party came to power, and she was confident the Liberal Party would have formed government in both elections without it. The report leaves room for a narrower possibility — that interference may have influenced a small number of riding-level results — but says that cannot be established with certainty. The evidence therefore supports “foreign interference occurred,” not “China rigged the election to install or preserve the Liberal government.”
What remains uncertain
The inquiry concluded that foreign interference may have affected nomination contests or a small number of riding-level results, but the extent cannot be established with certainty from the available evidence.
What would change our conclusion
Credible evidence showing that PRC interference changed enough riding outcomes to alter which party formed government would materially change the national 'rigged election' assessment.
Why it matters to Canadians
This is directly about whether foreign interference changed who governed Canada. The distinction between attempted influence and control of an election outcome is essential to assessing the threat accurately.
Evidence trail
- Original source: No single primary origin could be reliably traced.
- Verification evidence: Source 1 · Source 2 · Source 3
Review status
Verdict: False · Confidence: High · Last reviewed: September 7, 2026 · Narrative ID: NAR-20230309-001