Quebec Judge to Lead Public Inquiry Into Foreign Interference: Reports

Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental Affairs Dominic LeBlanc speaks to reporters during the Liberal Cabinet retreat in Charlottetown, P.E.I., on Aug. 22, 2023. Darren Calabrese/The Canadian Press

The federal government has tapped Quebec Court of Appeal Justice Marie-Josée Hogue to lead the public inquiry into interference by foreign states, according to several reports.

Media outlets reported the news citing anonymous sources, but indicated that Minister Dominic Leblanc is expected to make the official announcement on Sept. 7.

Mr. Leblanc, who is responsible for Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental Affairs, said during the Liberal cabinet retreat at the end of August that parties were “real close” to finding the right candidate.

The minister had refused to confirm rumours the hold-up was due to several sitting or retired judges refusing to take the role.

The Liberal government had resisted holding a public inquiry and instead appointed former governor general David Johnston as special rapporteur on foreign interference last March. Mr. Johnston resigned under pressure in June and the government began negotiations with opposition parties on the terms of an inquiry.

The Globe and Mail reports that the inquiry will not be solely focused on interference by the Chinese regime and will look at the actions of other states as well.

National security leaks in the press about Beijing interference in Canadian democracy since November last year have generated the momentum leading to calls to hold an inquiry. The New Democrat Party (NDP) had called to expand the inquiry to other states, such as Russia.

Justice Hogue was appointed to the Court of Appeal of Quebec in 2015 by the Harper government. She was previously a partner with law firms McCarthy Tétrault and Heenan Blaikie LLP.

The judge also served as a law clerk for former Supreme Court Justice Antonio Lamer—who went on to become chief justice—in 1988 and 1989. Justice Hogue does not appear to have national security experience, based on her biography on the Quebec Court of Appeal website.

Opposition parties had called to find a candidate with no appearance of conflict of interest. Previous appointments related to investigating interference were criticized due to ties to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and the Liberals.

Mr. Johnston is a Trudeau family friend and served on the Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation until he was appointed special rapporteur. Former public servant Morris Rosenberg, who produced a report examining the elections protocol to protect against foreign interference, is a former Trudeau Foundation CEO and a personal friend of Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland.

According to the Globe, the terms of reference agreed to by all major parties require Justice Hogue to deliver a first report by the end of February 2024. A second report will be due in December 2024.