Johnston plans to keep role, as House votes for him to step aside
David Johnston said his mandate to probe allegations of foreign interference comes from the government and not the House of Commons, after members of Parliament voted in favour of his ouster on Wednesday.
The former governor general released a statement following vote on a motion brought forward by the NDP, which the Conservatives and Bloc Québécois supported while the Liberals stood opposed. It passed 174 to 150.
It called on Johnston, whom Prime Minister Justin Trudeau named back in March to look into allegations that China tried meddling in the past two federal elections, to “step aside from his role.”
It asked the government to instead launch a public inquiry into the issue of foreign interference, a move that all opposition parties want, but that the former governor general recommended against in his initial report last week.
“When I accepted the mandate to act as independent special rapporteur, I did so with full knowledge of the fact that the work ahead would be neither straightforward nor uncontroversial,” Johnston said in his statement. “I deeply respect the right of the House of Commons to express its opinion about my work going forward, but my mandate comes the government. I have a duty to pursue that work until my mandate is completed.”
Trudeau said he maintained confidence in Johnston, despite the stance of opposition MPs.
Opposition parties initially decried his appointment because of Johnston’s family connections to the prime minister’s family and the Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation.
Trudeau brushed off those concerns, telling reporters that he views the matter as political parties wanting to score “partisan points.”
“The fact of the matter is David Johnston has served this country in extraordinary capacities for decades,” Trudeau said.
Government House leader Mark Holland has said he has been trying to negotiate with opposition parties to find additional avenues to address concerns about foreign interference that go beyond what has already been offered.
Holland has repeatedly said the hyperpolitical rhetoric around the discussions in public has been counterproductive.
Johnston said in his report that due to the sensitive nature of national security and the intelligence he studied, there would be no way to divulge the information Canadians are seeking publicly. He said that would defeat the purpose of a public inquiry.
He said what he plans to do instead is hold a series of public hearings to further probe the issue.
“Foreign governments are undoubtedly attempting to influence candidates and voters in Canada, and I have identified serious shortcomings in the way intelligence is communicated and processed from security agencies through to government,” Johnston said.
The House called on David Johnston, whom Justin Trudeau named back in March to look into allegations that China tried meddling in the past two federal elections, to ‘step aside from his role’