Special Rapporteur’s Mandate on Foreign Interference Probe Released

A file photo of Canada's then-governor general, David Lloyd Johnston, giving a speech during the 70th anniversary ceremony of the 1942 Dieppe Raid in Dieppe, northwestern France, on August 19, 2012. (Charly Triballeau/AFP/GettyImages)

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.

“As Independent Special Rapporteur, Mr. Johnston will play a crucial role in reinforcing the integrity of and upholding Canadians’ confidence in our democratic processes, and I look forward to receiving his recommendations on how we can keep taking steps to ensure Canada is protected against any attempts at undermining our democracy,” the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said in a press release.

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.

Conservative Party Leader Pierre Poilievre and Bloc Québécois Leader Yves-François Blanchet have both raised concerns about Johnston’s appointment as independent special rapporteur.

“Justin Trudeau has named a ‘family friend,’ old neighbour from the cottage, and member of the Beijing-funded Trudeau foundation, to be the ‘independent’ rapporteur on Beijing’s interference,” Poilievre said in a previous statement to the Epoch Times, in reference to Trudeau calling Johnston a “family friend” back in 2017.

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.