The intergovernmental affairs minister opened the door to a public inquiry in the aftermath of former governor-general David Johnston’s resignation as special rapporteur on Chinese state interference into the 2019 and 2021 elections
The opposition parties say they are ready to co-operate with the Liberal government on naming a judge to head a public inquiry into Beijing’s foreign interference in Canadian democracy, but they want the investigation to be wrapped up before the next election.
At a news conference Sunday, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre said he will work with other parties to get a public inquiry under way “right away,” saying it must be headed by someone who is “independent and unbiased in doing a thorough and public investigation.” NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh has said a public inquiry should not just look at Chinese state interference but also the activities of countries such as Russia and India.Peter Julian, the NDP House Leader who will be involved in the all-party negotiations, said Sunday that a public inquiry must be “rapidly” set up so it could report to Canadians within nine months. This would give Parliament time to enact measures to combat foreign interference before the next election.
Bloc Québécois Leader Yves-François Blanchet plans to hold a news conference Monday to lay out what he’d like to see in the terms of reference. Spokesman Julien Coulombe-Bonnafous said in an e-mail that the Bloc always wanted an independent inquiry, with a commissioner agreed to by all parties in Parliament.
On May 30, former Conservative leader Erin O’Toole informed the House that CSIS briefed him that “my party, several members of my caucus and me were targets of misinformation and voter suppression that was orchestrated by China before and during the 2021 election.”
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