(OTTAWA) A parliamentary committee chairman says David Johnston had already agreed to testify in Ottawa even before opposition MPs wrote in a letter earlier this week demanding he appear.
Updated yesterday at 4:37pm.
Mickey Djuric The Canadian Press
The Prime Minister’s Special Rapporteur on Tuesday released his preliminary report on the Liberal government’s response to alleged attempts at foreign interference in the 2019 and 2021 federal elections.
At a meeting of the Standing Committee on Procedural and Commons Affairs on Thursday, Liberal MP Bardish Chagger said the committee she chairs invited Johnston to appear two months ago and that the “Special Rapporteur” was due to testify in less than two weeks on 6. June.
Opposition MPs on the committee wrote a letter this week demanding that Mr Johnston testify following the publication of his preliminary report on Tuesday.
Conservatives, new Democrats and bloc MPs on that committee wanted the prime minister-appointed “special rapporteur” to explain why he decided not to recommend a public inquiry into foreign interference.
Liberal MPs accused the Tories of irresponsibility on Thursday, claiming Johnston was reluctant to testify before the committee.
“The opposition will stop at nothing to tarnish an individual’s reputation […] Who doesn’t deserve it in any way I think, argued Liberal MP Ryan Turnbull. They do not like the report’s conclusions, so they are trying to give the false impression that (Mr Johnston) is unwilling to appear before our committee, which is contrary to the truth. »
The Tories have raised concerns that Mr Johnston is too close to the Liberals. They recall that the Prime Minister previously referred to him as a “friend of the family” and that he became a member of the Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation after he left the post of Governor-General. Mr Johnston denied allegations of a conflict of interest.
Bloc Québécois leader Yves-François Blanchet wrote on Twitter on Wednesday: “All of David Johnston’s work looks like a cover for something spooky.”
Appearance on June 6th
But MP Chagger, chairman of the House of Commons committee, argued on Thursday that Mr Johnston had agreed to come for two hours on June 6 and testify, including on the content of his preliminary report.
Tory MP Michael Barrett claimed opposition MPs were unaware that Mr Johnston would appear on that date until the Speaker announced it at Thursday’s sitting.
During a session that lasted more than three hours, Conservatives urged Mr Johnston to appear earlier, fearing Justin Trudeau would adjourn Parliament to avoid further scrutiny of foreign interference.
Instead, MPs decided to ask him to show up for three hours instead of two, and to require him to show up on any date as long as it was before June 6.
NDP MP Rachel Blaney told the committee she was unhappy with Johnston’s report because her party continued to push for a public inquiry.
“For me, the focus has always been the seriousness of the situation and the importance of Canadians trusting their institutions,” Ms. Blaney said. It’s disappointing that we’re here and it really describes the reality that Canadians need to see a process that is transparent and clear and that they can trust. It has nothing to do with that. »
Mr Johnston instead ruled that a formal public inquiry would not work to investigate issues of alleged foreign interference in the 2019 and 2021 federal elections, as much of the classified information he reviewed would need to remain classified.
He argued in his report that releasing this information would undermine the trust of Canada’s allies and endanger intelligence sources.
Opposition parties continue to call for a public inquiry after the report, but Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has said he will heed Johnston’s recommendation.