'Appearance of bias' undermines special rapporteur's mission, Singh says
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh speaks to reporters on May 29 about an NDP motion, which later passed in the House of Commons, to call on David Johnston to step down as special rapporteur on foreign interference.
Singh likened the situation to public trust in the justice system, which is sustained in part by a level of transparency and attention to process. He emphasized that he was only talking about the "appearance" of bias. Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has condemned Johnston's selection as special rapporteur, given ties between Johnston and Trudeau going back to the prime minister's childhood.
While Poilievre has been harsh in his critique of the government's handling of the foreign interference issue so far, including calling Johnston's role a "fake job," Singh has walked a line between opposition and co-operation. Both parties, though, have called for a public inquiry, rather than Johnston's hearings.
"I want to be able to have the same latitude that Mr. Johnston had, and it's already been assured that that will be the case," Singh said.
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