Poilievre and Blanchet cast doubt on Johnston’s ability to be an impartial adjudicator
The leaders of the two largest opposition parties are questioning the impartiality of former governor-general David Johnston in his new role as special rapporteur into Chinese election interference, citing his decades-long connections to Justin Trudeau’s family.
Mr. Johnston is a member of the Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation. Members of the foundation appoint its board and deal with bylaws and other matters for this non-profit, set up with a $125-million public endowment by the Jean Chrétien government. “I will accept nothing but a public inquiry, independent inquiry, whose management [commissioner] will have been chosen by Parliament. Nothing else,” he said.
In 2017, the Trudeau government provided $20-million to fund the Rideau Hall Foundation in honour of Mr. Johnston, who chairs the board. The charity provides scholarships for international education and learning opportunities for Indigenous people in Canada. Mr. Singh added that he hopes Mr. Johnston will recommend a public inquiry, saying it is “the best way to get answers on allegations of foreign interference in our democracy.”
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