Canada’s Corrupt Political Class

I was surprised, saddened and puzzled when former governor general David Johnston, who was clearly in a perceived conflict of interest, accepted the prime minister’s request to become a “special rapporteur.” Surprised he would make such an obvious mistake, saddened he would risk tarnishing his reputation as a dedicated and effective governor general and puzzled about his motivation. Those reactions intensified when his preliminary report rejected a public inquiry called for by a majority vote in Parliament and over 70 per cent of Canadians. I was also disappointed that it defended the government on virtually every issue while criticizing the media, the security services and the Conservative party. It also made clear his conviction he has no conflict of interest, notwithstanding much evidence and a widespread perception to the contrary.

Last Thursday the NDP gave notice of an opposition motion that will be debated today and voted upon later this week.

That motion calls on David Johnston to step aside from his role as Special Rapporteur, and would require the government to urgently establish a public commission of inquiry. Crucially, it also states that the inquiry would be led by an individual selected with unanimous support from all recognized parties in the House,

It is rare for an opposition motion to have this much importance.

I get that Mulcair may feel compelled to talk up Jaggy’s “heroics” but let’s face it the motion has no teeth and Trudeau and his Special Crony will ignore it.

Special Rapporteur David Johnston has refused to take questions from MPs on the House of Commons public accounts committee regarding his previous work at the Trudeau Foundation, leading members of the committee to threaten to issue him a summons.

“We have a meeting scheduled for a week today with individuals who have been involved with the Trudeau Foundation,” said Conservative MP and Committee Chair John Williamson at a meeting of the committee on May 29, according to Blacklock’s Reporter. “I regret to inform you all, I have three who have declined, including the Right Honourable David Johnston.”

Deputy mayor suing CSIS over alleged ‘typecasting’ of Chinese immigrants

A former Ontario cabinet minister who has been the focus of intelligence leaks related to Chinese interference in Canada is suing CSIS, saying the spy agency publicly humiliated him because of a “stereotypical typecasting of immigrants born in China as being somehow untrustworthy.”

Ever since David Johnston delivered his 55-page report on election interference by Beijing, the fundamental question remains unchanged.

Why is an unelected friend of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, chosen by the PM and paid for by taxpayers, in charge of deciding whether there should be a public inquiry into foreign interference, an option Johnston has rejected?

Slightly more than half of Canadians believe that Special Rapporteur David Johnston should have called for a public inquiry into foreign election interference, according to a new Angus Reid poll on May 26.

The national public opinion survey found that 52 percent of respondents said an inquiry should have been called, while 32 percent thought it was unnecessary, and 16 percent were unsure.

Leaders of Canadian activist and religious groups targeted by Beijing are calling for a public inquiry into foreign interference, saying it isn’t enough for former governor-general David Johnston to hold hearings to listen to their concerns about China’s efforts to silence their criticism.

Groups representing human rights activists, Muslim Uyghurs, Hong Kong pro-democracy dissidents, Falun Gong practitioners and supporters of independence for Tibet told The Globe and Mail they’ve been sounding the alarm for years about Beijing’s harassment and intimidation tactics.