[Aarongavey]

https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/ver...evre-1.6774671

This former guy thinks NSICOP is the right venue to investigate allegations like the one about the Conservative politician being the alleged point man for the alleged Chinese electoral interference campaign.

Poilievre accused him of covering up the issue "with a secret process that he controls." Michael Chong, the Conservative critic for foreign affairs, described NSICOP's work as "secret hearings, secret evidence and secret conclusions, all controlled by the prime minister."

Obviously, that's BS," White, a former Conservative senator, told CBC's The House.

"Our work was done unfettered, totally unfettered."

NSICOP is a bipartisan assembly of MPs and senators who are sworn to secrecy in order to receive top-secret briefings.

Their classified reports are sent to the prime minister before a redacted version is made public.

"And then there are strict rules on the things that need to be redacted. Read the legislation. It's very clear," said White.

"It's too bad politics is becoming the player here."

White said he's not necessarily opposed to a public inquiry but pointed out that NSICOP already has the infrastructure and capacity to take on these questions.

"I think NSICOP would be quicker than a public inquiry and hell of a lot cheaper," White told host Catherine Cullen in an interview airing Saturday morning.

"Secondly, people who say, 'Well at least the public inquiry, everything would be public,' are not thinking this through. Everything would not be public …You're not gonna get what you can't get, right?"