Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s office announced the mandate of Independent Special Rapporteur David Johnston, who is tasked with assessing the extent of foreign interference in Canada’s elections. Johnston will recommend whether to hold a formal public inquiry by May 23, 2023.
Johnston, who was chosen as the special rapporteur on March 15, 2023, will build on the work of the National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians (NSICOP) and the National Security and Intelligence Review Agency (NSIRA), to identify any outstanding issues requiring attention. The PMO said this will be done “with a view to uphold Canadians’ confidence in our democratic institutions and electoral processes.”
Following this, Johnston will recommend additional mechanisms or transparent processes, including a formal public inquiry if deemed necessary to reinforce Canadians’ confidence in the integrity of the country’s institutions, by May 23, 2023. Additionally, Johnston will identify ways to improve the ability of public agencies to work together in combatting foreign election interference.
To fulfill his mandate, Johnston will be given access to relevant records and documents, both classified and unclassified. He will work with institutions, agencies, and officials across the federal government to complete his mandate, including the Communications Security Establishment, the Canadian Security Intelligence Service, the Privy Council Office, and Elections Canada.
Johnston will submit regular reports to Trudeau, which will also be shared with the leaders of the opposition and all Canadians. His final review is expected to be completed by Oct. 31, 2023.
Trudeau appointed Johnston after facing pressure from opposition parties to act on reports of foreign interference in Canada’s elections by Beijing. Reporting from the Globe and Mail and Global News said that the Chinese Communist Party interfered with the 2019 and 2021 elections, including by attempting to help the Liberals win a minority government.
Johnston, who served as governor general for seven years after his appointment in 2010 by then-Prime Minister Stephen Harper, has also been criticized by opposition MPs for being a member of the Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation, which was created in the name of former prime minister Pierre Trudeau.