First, a report that Suaad Hagi Mohamud may have referenced American Idol judge Randy Jackson in her interview with consular officials in Kenya. Now, more on what the government knew, when it knew it and what it was saying publicly.
First, a report that Suaad Hagi Mohamud may have referenced American Idol judge Randy Jackson in her interview with consular officials in Kenya. Now, more on what the government knew, when it knew it and what it was saying publicly.
In June, Mohamud’s MP Joe Volpe (Liberal, Eglinton-Lawrence) starts making inquiries. Although the investigation was closed, emails show officials deciding to tell him they are working with Kenyan authorities to verify the identity of the individual.
On July 2, a day after the Star broke the story, the media line changes. A department spokesperson says the woman has conclusively been determined an imposter. Behind the scenes, officials were second-guessing themselves. “Have we done our due diligence?” the minister’s office asks.
On July 3, Foreign Affairs Minister Lawrence Cannon’s spokesperson Catherine Loubier writes: “Could we look into other options … such as fingerprinting and genetic testing?”
The Prime Minister is on record as saying “we”—however you interpret that—became aware of the situation in mid-August.