Did the Indian government interfere in the Conservative leadership race?

This article is part of the Reality Check series by Canada's National Observer.  Have a question for us? Reach out at [email protected].

Claim: Is the Indian government bankrolling Pierre Poilievre?

In late March, CSIS revealed it had reason to believe the Indian government had interfered in the Conservative leadership race of 2022. At the time, The Globe and Mail reported the allegations, and the story was picked up internationally. That has led to rumour and allegations that Poilievre, and his campaign, could be a security risk for Canada.  

Poilievre responded by saying he won the race “fair and square.”

Verdict: False

Poilievre did get donations from Aditya Tawatia, a real estate agent in Vancouver, and a founder of the Overseas Friends of the Bhartiya Janta Party, the political party of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Poilievre even attended events hosted in Tawatia’s home. 

Poilievre’s campaign confirmed he received roughly 37,000 campaign donations. At a campaign stop this week, Poilievre says he doesn’t have time to “do CSIS background checks on every single person” who donates to his campaign. 

However, the donations are concerning to many as they follow Poilievre refusing to get his security clearance, and come after alleged election interference from the Indian government and the killing of a Sikh separatist, Hardeep Singh Nijjar, in BC in 2023.