Trudeau taps former governor general to investigate Chinese election interference claims
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Wednesday named a former governor general as a special investigator to look into allegations of Chinese interference in Canada’s last two elections.
Trudeau announced Wednesday that David Johnson would take on the role of special coordinator. Johnson will decide whether a public inquiry is needed and Trudeau said he would follow the recommendations.
The Globe and Mail reported last month, citing unnamed intelligence sources, that China prefers to see Trudeau’s liberals re-elected in the 2021 election and work to defeat conservative politicians considered unfriendly to Beijing. Is.
Canada’s Trudeau launches probe into China’s election interference
The Governor General is the representative of the monarch of the United Kingdom as head of state, and holds a mostly ceremonial and symbolic position. Conservative Prime Minister Stephen Harper appointed Johnson governor general in 2010, and his term was extended under Trudeau until 2017.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has appointed former Governor General David Johnson to investigate alleged Chinese interference in the country’s last two elections. (Dave Chan/AFP via Getty Images)
Johnson holds law degrees from the University of Cambridge and Queen’s University. He was a professor of law for 45 years and was also the president of the University of Waterloo.
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Opposition parties are demanding a full public inquiry into the alleged Chinese interference.
Trudeau has said that all political leaders agree that the 2019 and 2021 election results were not influenced by foreign interference. But he has said that even if it does not change the outcome, any interference by a foreign actor is disturbing and serious.
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A panel of civil servants recently released a report that concluded there were foreign attempts at interference, but none influenced the outcome of the election.
