Five key takeaways from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's testimony on foreign interference

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau testified at the public inquiry into foreign interference on Wednesday, describing what he says he knew about foreign attempts to meddle in Canadian politics and what led to his explosive claim in the House of Commons that India was behind the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar in June 2023.

His testimony spanned several hours and happened only days after the RCMP said Indian government agents were involved in crimes in Canada. Those allegations prompted both countries to expel six diplomats each and created a deeper rift in the diplomatic relationship.

Here are five key takeaways from Trudeau's testimony:

Trudeau said that he has the names of Conservative parliamentarians who are involved in foreign interference — a claim that prompted a sharp rebuke from the Conservative Party.

The prime minister also said that he instructed the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) to warn Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre in order to protect the party's integrity.

"I have the names of a number of parliamentarians, former parliamentarians and/or candidates in the Conservative Party of Canada who are engaged, or at high risk of, or for whom there is clear intelligence around foreign interference," he said.

When questioned by Conservative Party lawyer Nando De Luca, Trudeau also said the names of Liberal parliamentarians and individuals from other parties are on the list of parliamentarians at risk of being compromised by foreign interference.

The term "parliamentarian" can refer to senators or members of the House of Commons.

Poilievre has so far resisted going through the security clearance process that the federal government has offered to him — a security clearance that would permit the Conservative leader to view the intelligence Trudeau referred to in his testimony.

Conservatives have said that clearance would prevent Poilievre from questioning or challenging the government on the issue of foreign interference.

Poilievre's decision, Trudeau testified, means that "nobody in his party, not him, nobody in a position of power knows the names of these individuals and can take appropriate action."

In a media statement, Poilievre called on Trudeau to "release the names of all MPs that have collaborated with foreign interference."

"But he won't. Because Justin Trudeau is doing what he always does: he is lying."

Poilievre also wrote that he was briefed by top officials on Oct. 14 about "the matter of foreign interference from India" and his chief of staff has received classified briefings.