Intergovernmental Affairs Minister Dominic LeBlanc says the Conservatives鈥� personal attacks against former governor general David Johnston 鈥� who is set to reveal Tuesday whether he believes a public inquiry into foreign interference is necessary 鈥� are 鈥渦nseemly.鈥�
LeBlanc, who is also the minister responsible for overseeing democratic institutions, told CTV鈥檚 Question Period host Vassy Kapelos, in an interview airing Sunday, that Johnston is a 鈥渟enior statesman in public affairs and public service and the law,鈥� and Canadians should judge him for his report, rather than being 鈥渦nduly agitated by (Conservative Leader Pierre) Poilievre's negativity.鈥�
Johnston was appointed special rapporteur in March amid growing concerns about foreign interference in Canada, specifically as it relates to the 2019 and 2021 federal elections.
When he was selected, opposition MPs were quick to question the decision. In particular, Johnston has been criticized for his close relationship with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his involvement with the Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation, which has also of foreign interference allegations in recent months.
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has repeatedly questioned Johnston鈥檚 neutrality, while also criticizing the role of special rapporteur altogether.
鈥淗e is Justin Trudeau鈥檚 ski buddy, his cottage neighbor, his family friend, and a member of the Trudeau Foundation, which got $140,000 from Beijing,鈥� Poilievre told reporters on Thursday. 鈥淗e has a fake job and he's unable to do it impartially.鈥�
LeBlanc said the focus should be on Johnston鈥檚 work and the recommendations he鈥檚 set to make.
鈥淚 think it's been unseemly the way that Conservatives have attacked Mr. Johnston personally,鈥� he said. 鈥淭his is somebody who's never played a partisan role whatsoever.鈥�
But when pressed on the optics of tapping Johnston for the special rapporteur role, and whether LeBlanc understands the choice could get in the way of Canadians鈥� confidence in Johnston鈥檚 reports and recommendations, LeBlanc said he 鈥渉ope(s) not.鈥�
鈥淚t's convenient for Mr. Poilievre to destroy institutions, to damage reputations. He does that regularly. He can be accountable for that,鈥� LeBlanc said. 鈥淲e think that the vast majority of Canadians understand Mr. Johnston's integrity, his service to the country.鈥�
鈥淲e stand by Mr. Johnston's record of non-partisan service to Canada in senior roles, including governor general, as appointed by Mr. Poilievre鈥檚 former boss, Stephen Harper,鈥� he also said. 鈥淎nd Canadians will judge Mr. Johnston by the report that he brings out on Tuesday.鈥�
Since Johnston was tasked with judging whether a public inquiry into foreign interference is necessary, concerns around the issue have grown.
Earlier this month, a Chinese diplomat was expelled from Canada for allegedly trying to threaten Conservative MP Michael Chong and his family in 2021. Both Chong and Trudeau said they first learned about the threats from the media, when it was reported by The Globe and Mail.
鈥淥bviously, we've said that it was unacceptable that the minister responsible at the time and the prime minister weren't made aware,鈥� LeBlanc said. 鈥淭hat is a failing of information flow in the government. We've corrected that.鈥�
The Canadian Press reported this week that Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino has issued a formal directive to Canada鈥檚 spy agency to disclose any foreign threats against parliamentarians and their families to the MP being targeted, and to the government.
LeBlanc wouldn鈥檛 say how many Chinese diplomats may have been involved in similar plots, or that are being investigated for interference attempts, but said 鈥渢he government is aware of the extent of these activities, and the measures appropriate both to protect democratic institutions and the electoral system are in place.鈥�
鈥淚'm very confident that any gaps that existed a year or two ago have been entirely filled, and the situation is very much where it needs to be,鈥� he also said.
Johnston is set to make his recommendation about a public inquiry this week, but his work will continue until October, with the goals of assessing the extent and impact of foreign interference in Canada鈥檚 elections, and reviewing the government鈥檚 response to foreign interference, among other objectives laid out in his mandate.
LeBlanc said while he doesn鈥檛 know what Johnston will recommend, the government is 鈥渃ommitted to following (his) advice.鈥�
With files from CTV鈥檚 Question Period senior producer Stephanie Ha
