Poilievre questioned over report that "friends" of India's Modi helped fund his campaign

After being asked Wednesday if he was comfortable receiving campaign funding from Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi-adjacent group, the Overseas Friends of BJP Canada – amid allegations members are behind violence against six separatists in Canada – Conservative Party leader Pierre Poilievre shut down reports on the matter, saying, “I received 37,000 separate donations that anybody can make online. We don't have the capacity to do CSIS background checks on every single person who makes those… We condemn, 100 per cent, any foreign interference.”

In an attempt to change the topic, Poilievre said, “The other question that you should be asking is why is [Liberal leader] Mark Carney accepting campaign support from the Chinese Communist government?”

Poilievre claimed the Beijing government was “actively interfering to campaign on behalf of Mr. Carney.”

Another journalist, who Poilievre called a “protester,” suggested Poilievre refused to obtain security clearance – which would allow him to receive briefings about foreign interference – because he was “concerned” it would “cut into” financial support for the Conservative party from “Hindu nationalists supporting Narendra Modi.”