Toews: Fadden's foreign influence comments 'shouldn't come as a surprise'

From my radio colleague, Philip Lee-Shanok:

Public Safety Minister Vic Toews addressed a lunchtime gathering of about 50 members of the Economic Club of Canada in downtown Toronto today.

He spoke for about 20 minutes on a wide range of topics gathered under the all-encompassing title: "The Reality of Canadian National Security in 2010."

Toews stressed that Canada was working very closely with the U-S to lessen the economic impact when terrorist threats lead to periodic "thickening of the border."

Following the speech he allowed for six questions -- three from audience members, who each paid about $80 a head -- and three questions from the media.

One concerned comments made by CSIS director Richard Fadden that he knew of specific cases of Canadian politicians being under influence of foreign governments.

Toews not only backed up Fadden statements -- he made it sound like the CSIS head were merely saying the sky is blue.

"I've heard Mr. Fadden's comments. I was somewhat surprised by media reaction," Toews began.

"His comments as I understand is something I've been reading in pages of newspapers across this country for the last 20 or 30 years. There's nothing remarkable about the fact that governments may seek to influence politicians or senior bureaucrats. I mean I found it astounding that that would be a story."

Really? Politicians in the pocket of foreign governments? Who? How is the government following up on these allegations? Toews didn't go much further.

"Mr. Fadden I think spoke in a very common sense general way in respect to that particular issue, " he said.

"I'm certainly not going to speak about any specific operations, but certainly nothing I have heard Mr. Fadden say should come as a surprise to any members of the media."

Nevertheless, Fadden had promised a parliamentary committee a report on the "foreign interference" threats of which he spoke.

That report is already a week overdue.