David Johnston resigning as special rapporteur amid controversy

Amid ongoing calls for his resignation, David Johnston has announced he is stepping down as Canada’s special rapporteur on foreign interference.

In a letter to the prime minister, Johnston says his objective when he accepted the role was to “help build trust in our democratic institutions.”

“I have concluded that, given the highly partisan atmosphere around my appointment and work, my leadership has had the opposite effect,” the letter reads.

“I am therefore tendering my resignation, effective no later than the end of June 2023, or as soon as I deliver a brief final report, which I hope to be earlier.”

Johnston was appointed special rapporteur by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to investigate alleged meddling in the 2019 and 2021 federal elections.

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Opposition MPs have been calling for his removal due to perceived bias, noting his friendship with Pierre Elliott Trudeau, which included ski trips the current prime minister joined when he was a child.

In a vote last month, MPs voted in favour of Johnston to be ousted, asking the government to instead launch a public inquiry into the issue of foreign interference, a move that all opposition parties want, but that the former governor general recommended against in his initial report.

“A deep and comprehensive review of foreign interference, its effects, and how to prevent it, should be an urgent priority for your Government and our Parliament,” Johnston’s resignation letter reads.

“Although I concluded that a public inquiry under the Inquiries Act would not be a useful way to deal with what is almost exclusively classified information, I recommended public hearings both to educate the public and to consider necessary reforms to various aspects of the government’s systems and policies dealing with foreign interference.”

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Johnston goes on to “encourage” the prime minister to “appoint a respected person, with national security experience,” to finish the work he outlined in his initial report. He also suggests Trudeau “consult with opposition parties” to find that person.

Intergovernmental Affairs Minister Dominic LeBlanc said in a statement Friday evening that he has been asked to consult experts and opposition parties on the next steps “and to assess who is best to lead that work.”

“As I take on this assignment, our efforts to combat foreign interference in our democracy continue, as do the ongoing reviews of the classified annex of Mr. Johnston’s report, and the work of both the National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians and the National Security Review and Intelligence Agency,” LeBlanc said.

Opposition politicians said the resignation is another signal that a public inquiry should begin.

“When we tabled our motion calling for the special rapporteur to step aside, we said that the appearance of bias was too much to continue,” NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh said in a statement, adding that he believes Johnston is an honourable man.

Singh said Johnston fell victim to “the bungled handling of foreign interference by the Liberal government,” but said his report outlined real and alarming gaps in national security.

“We are also calling on the government to work with opposition parties on an action plan that can begin to address these gaps and ensure the trust of Canadians in our democracy,” he said.

Bloc Quebecois Leader Yves-Francois Blanchet said in French that he salutes Johnston’s dignified decision, and that Trudeau has no choice now but to call a public inquiry.

Poilievre said in a statement that Trudeau has been “flailing around for months trying to cover up the help he got from Beijing’s Communist government,” and accused him of destroying Johnston’s reputation. He, too, called for a public inquiry.