Newly appointed federal Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc says that calling a judicial inquiry into foreign interference in Canada’s elections by the Beijing regime is “complicated.”
Mr. LeBlanc, who was given the new portfolio while retaining intergovernmental affairs, made the comments shortly after being appointed to his new position in a cabinet shuffle on July 26.
Opposition parties have been calling for a public inquiry for months, in reaction to multiple national security leaks in the media depicting widespread interference by the Chinese regime.
“The prime minister asked me in June to work with opposition parties to look at next steps,” said Mr. LeBlanc, adding that Justin Trudeau was “optimistic about that work.”
The new minister was asked what the holdup was in getting the investigation underway, according to Blacklock’s Reporter on July 27.
“I don’t think there is a holdup,” said Mr. LeBlanc.
“It’s a complicated undertaking. It’s not a simple undertaking but the good news is we’ve made enormous progress together. We had conversations earlier this week. I’m hoping to have conversations again later this week, and I hope to have something important to announce with my colleagues as soon as possible.”
In three separate votes on March 2, March 23, and May 31, the Commons voted to hold an inquiry, and Opposition MPs have since accused cabinet of stalling the process.
“We want them to end the cover-up,” Opposition Leader Pierre Poilievre said June 11. “Call a public inquiry.”
Mr. LeBlanc told reporters on July 17 that there had been “significant progress” made on a proposed process for an inquiry.
He has been holding consultations with all opposition party leaders to determine how to proceed with investigating allegations of foreign interference in the 2019 and 2021 federal elections, since former governor general David Johnston stepped down as special rapporteur on foreign election interference in early June.
Mr. Johnston was appointed by the prime minister in March amid pressure to call a public inquiry. He resigned shortly after delivering his first report in late May, which recommended against holding an inquiry.
