What’s next for the foreign interference probe? LeBlanc says all options on the table – National | 24CA News
in a press convention Saturday.
The authorities might be consulting judicial consultants and opposition leaders to determine what to do subsequent, together with who might be finest to guide the remainder of Johnston’s work and even who may lead a public inquiry, what the phrases of reference could be and the way one would respect categorised info.
“We’re confident we can find the right eminent person to lead this next public phase of engagement,” LeBlanc mentioned. “We are not looking for delays.”
LeBlanc mentioned he hopes the federal government can obtain particular options from opposition events within the coming days together with names of people who could lead on the method.
“It’s our government’s hope that the opposition parties will treat this issue with the seriousness it deserves and that we will be able to chart a path forward,” LeBlanc mentioned.
Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, Infrastructure and Communities Dominic LeBlanc speaks throughout a news convention following the resignation of David Johnston, Independent Special Rapporteur on Foreign Interference, within the Foyer of the House of Commons on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, on Saturday, June 10, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang.
The Canadian Press
Johnston was appointed by Trudeau in March to look into how the federal government has dealt with allegations of interference by China into Canada’s elections, which had been first delivered to gentle in a sequence of studies by Global News and the Globe and Mail that cited nationwide safety sources and categorised paperwork.
Johnston introduced his resignation from the place on Friday following weeks of scrutiny over what the opposition events referred to as a battle of curiosity resulting from his ties to Trudeau’s household and the Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation.
Last week, the House of Commons handed a non-binding decision calling for Johnston to step down over the “appearance of bias.”
The resignation marks a sudden flip from Johnston’s dedication to remain on as particular rapporteur within the wake of the House movement, which was introduced by the NDP. At that point, Johnston mentioned he would solely take directions on his work and his future from the Trudeau authorities, not Parliament.
In his resignation letter, Johnston reiterated his conclusion that public hearings must be held “both to educate the public and to consider necessary reforms to various aspects of the government’s systems and policies dealing with foreign interference,” quite than a public inquiry.
“A deep and comprehensive review of foreign interference, its effects, and how to prevent it, should be an urgent priority for your Government and our Parliament,” he wrote.
With information from Global News’ Sean Boynton.
© 2023 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
