OTTAWA- Richard Fadden is the spy who talked too much and should resign or be fired by Prime Minister Stephen Harper, critics say.

Fadden, director of the Canadian Security Intelligence Service, told a parliamentary committee Monday he regretted saying unnamed provincial cabinet ministers somewhere in Canada as well as B.C. municipal officials were unduly influenced by foreign powers, but said he would not resign for his lapse in judgment.

“I really didn’t think I was giving away any state secrets … because foreign interference is a problem here that we have known about for a long time,” Fadden told MPs. acknowledging he added a “level of detail that I should not have.”

“I did not say anything that was a risk to national security. …. but I do say that I regret this (happened) in a public sphere. I will not say these types of comments in the future.”

Fadden refused to identify the people CSIS is alleging are playing footsy with the foreign agents but added a report will go to the government within weeks.

At the hastily called meeting of the public safety and national security, most MPs were surprised that Fadden, speaking to an audience in Toronto and later to the CBC, would so casually besmirch the reputation of public servants and politicians across the country with no consideration for the ramifications.

“I don’t think he understands the damage that he has caused. I don’t think he understands the violation of the (CSIS) Act that he committed and I don’t think he understands the hurt he has caused and the damage he has done the political process in this country.” NDP MP Don Davis, chair of the committee, later told reporters, in calling for Fadden’s resignation.

Harper spokesperson Dimitri Soudas, said Fadden’s testimony “speaks for itself.”

“We don’t comment on security matters.” Soudas said in an email statement.

It was clear from Fadden’s testimony before committee that both Public Security Minister Vic Toews and the all-powerful Privy Council Office were well aware of Fadden’s concerns that foreign powers are attempting to influence Canadian politics and policies.

Fadden told the committee he contacted both the minister’s office and Marie-Lucie Morin, the national security adviser, to tell them that “we had a couple of cases … that were worrisome and we had almost completed our analysis and that we would be briefing formally very shortly.”

Committee members of all stripes were stunned at the senior bureaucrat’s explanation that he “lost track that this was being broadcast as part of an agreement we had with the CBC” when speaking to the Royal Canadian Military in Toronto on March 26.

“There is something irrational in that because you (have been) described as an intelligent, rational, extremely responsible individual,” Bloc Québécois MP Maria Mourani said,

Expected to back away from comments about foreign interference, Fadden instead told the committee “it is a concern and a threat.”

“It is more common here and elsewhere than many think and it is desirable that this threat should be known and discussed,” Fadden told MPs, reading from a prepared opening statement.

In a speech recorded by the CBC TV and in follow up questions with CBC’s The National, Fadden said that some Canadian politicians, including unnamed provincial cabinet ministers and municipal employees, are under the influence of foreign governments. While he did not offer details, he indicated the foreign influence was related to Asia.

“The main reason we are operating in this area is to protect Canadians from foreign power so I do not think an apology is necessary” said Fadden when asked if he was prepared to apologize to Chinese Canadians and in particular Chinese-Canadian politicians.

Conservative MP Dave MacKenzie said it was one thing for CSIS to generally warn Canadians about foreign influence and entirely another thing “to decide to publicize intelligence information.”

MacKenzie noted that Section 19 of the CSIS Act restricts disclosure of “information obtained in the performance of the duties and functions of the service under the Act.” However, Fadden said that didn’t apply to him because his information was “general” in nature.

Fadden said at the moment foreign influence does constitute an immediate threat and that’s why he had not briefed the public security minister.

Mourani hammered away at the chief spy, accusing him of tarring politicians everywhere and that he knew exactly what he was doing given his extensive experienced.

“I am flabbergasted ... you would give yourself permission to make these comments,” she said, adding that she would be making a formal request later for Fadden resignation.

Fadden’s televised comments were surprising in their apparent breach of international diplomacy and domestic politics, and risked harming Canadian relations with China the day before an official visit by President Hu Jintao.

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Mourani said if Harper does not dump Fadden that he is “complicit” in the cross-country smearing.

Lucy Zhou of the Falun Dafa Association of Canada recalled later for reporters the words of Chen Yong Lin, first secretary and consul for political affair for the Chinese embassy in Australia, after defecting in 2005.

“The control of the overseas Chinese community has been a consistent strategic objective of the Chinese Communist Party so as to penetrate into the mainstream of the host country. It’s not just in Australia. It is done this way in other countries like the U.S. and Canada too.”

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