David Johnston will testify before Parliamentary committee as resignation calls continue – National | 24CA News
David Johnston is about to look at a House of Commons committee investigating claims of overseas interference as calls proceed for his resignation as the federal government’s particular rapporteur.
The 81-year-old former governor basic shall be on the Procedure and House Affairs Committee (PROC) for 3 hours on Tuesday, starting at 10 a.m. Eastern.
Johnston, who was named particular rapporteur by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to research claims of overseas interference, has been underneath scrutiny over reported ties to Trudeau and the Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation.
He has confronted renewed scrutiny from opposition MPs since releasing his interim report final month, which discovered an impartial public inquiry — a discussion board opposition MPs have been looking for for month to research the claims — was not warranted.
Last Wednesday, opposition MPs voted in favour of a non-binding NDP movement for Johnston to step apart as particular rapporteur. The remaining vote was 174-150, with Liberal MPs voting in opposition to the movement.
In explaining the reasoning behind the movement, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh mentioned there was a “clear apprehension of bias at this point” about Johnston and his connections to each the Trudeau Foundation and the Trudeau household.
“The appearance of bias is so high that it erodes the work that the special rapporteur can do,” he advised reporters final Monday.
In response to the vote, Johnston mentioned he wouldn’t be leaving his function.
“I deeply respect the right of the House of Commons to express its opinion about my work going forward but my mandate comes from the government,” he wrote in a press release.
“I have a duty to pursue that work until my mandate is completed.”
Opposition MPs sitting on the PROC committee final month launched a movement to have Johnston seem earlier than the panel.
PROC chair and Liberal MP Bardish Chagger mentioned throughout the May 25 assembly that Johnston had not proven any reluctance to look earlier than PROC and had knowledgeable the committee he can be accessible on June 6.
The committee’s opposition MPs wrote in a letter that Johnston should “answer” as to why he recommends in opposition to a public inquiry.
“David Johnston’s decision is a slap in the face to diaspora groups who are subject to abuse and intimidated by hostile foreign governments and all Canadians rightly concerned about foreign interference in the 2019 and 2021 elections and future elections,” the letter learn.
“David Johnston must come before committee and answer for this decision at the earliest opportunity.”
— with recordsdata from Global News’ Sean Previl
© 2023 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
