A spokesman in the Prime Minister's Office says Stephen Harper was caught unaware by stunning allegations that several Canadian politicians are under the control of foreign governments.
The revelations from Richard Fadden, the director of the Canadian Security Intelligence Service, point to foreign infiltration of municipal and provincial political ranks, including cabinet-level politicians.
Harper spokesman Dimitri Soudas says the PMO has "no knowledge of these matters" and is directing all inquiries to CSIS.
Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty says the spy agency owes Canadians more information.
McGuinty says Fadden promised to alert the federal government so it could tell the relevant provincial governments about ministers being controlled by foreign governments.
Fadden declined to name the two cabinet ministers or their provinces, but he said a number of public servants in British Columbia are also under suspicion.
McGuinty says the province hasn't been contacted so, from Ontario's perspective, "no news is good news."
He says the CSIS chief needs to elaborate and provide more details so any concerns can be addressed.
B.C. Premier Gordon Campbell's office said late Tuesday he would not be available for comment on Fadden's allegations.
McGuinty dismissed suggestions the allegations amounted to racial profiling after Fadden hinted the country involved in recruiting cabinet ministers was China.
Security experts are questioning why CSIS rushed to inform the public before contacting the jurisdictions involved.
The spying allegations also came on the eve of today's arrival of Chinese President Hu Jintao in Ottawa.
