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The independent special rapporteur appointed by the Canadian government to examine allegations of Chinese interference in the 2019 and 2021 federal elections resigned on Friday.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced the appointment of former Governor-General David Johnston as Special Rapporteur on March 15. Johnston, who issued an interim report in May that rejected opposition calls for a public inquiry into the allegations, is in office until October, when he is expected to deliver a final report.
However, he handed in his resignation to Trudeau on Friday. In a letter released to the media, he said: “When I took on the mandate of the Independent Special Rapporteur on Foreign Interference, my aim was to help build trust in our democracy. My conclusion is that, given the The highly partisan atmosphere of the job, my leadership had the opposite effect.”
He added that his resignation would take effect no later than the end of June or after he submits a “brief final report”.
“An in-depth and comprehensive review of foreign interference, its effects, and how to prevent it should be a high priority for your government and our parliament,” he said, recommending that Trudeau appoint a “respected leader” with “national security experience.” people” to advance the work. “Ideally you would consult with the opposition to identify the right candidate to lead the effort,” he said.
In response to the resignation, Opposition Leader Pierre Poilievre slammed Trudeau for “has been loitering for months trying to cover up the help he has received from the Communist government in Beijing.”
“He discredited the former Governor-General to cover up his refusal to protect Canada from foreign interests and threats. He must end the cover-ups, the concealment, and a full public investigation into Beijing’s meddling,” Poilievre tweeted explain.
Canada’s House of Commons passed a motion for Johnston to “resign from office” on May 31.
The motion was supported by the opposition party and opposed by the ruling Liberal Party, which received 174 votes in favor and 150 against.
Trudeau defended Johnston at the time, saying the special rapporteur took responsibility “very seriously” and accusing the opposition of trying to score “partisan points” with the motion. Until recently, Johnston has been adamant that he will not leave the job and will complete the tasks assigned.
The special rapporteur was appointed on March 6 following a series of reports in outlets including The Globe and Mail and Global News about Beijing’s possible attempts to influence Canada’s federal election.
A series of exposures has brought continuous pressure on the Trudeau government. On February 17, The Globe and Mail noted that “China employs a sophisticated strategy to undermine Canadian democracy in the 2021 federal election as Chinese diplomats and their proxies support Justin Trudeau’s Liberal re-election. — but only to another minority government — and efforts to defeat Conservative politicians deemed unfriendly to Beijing.” The report was based on intelligence documents.
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