(Ottawa) À quelques heures d’un vote à la Chambre des communes sur une motion demandant à David Johnston de quitter ses fonctions de rapporteur spécial sur l’ingérence étrangère, le premier ministre Justin Trudeau s’est porté à la défense de l’ancien gouverneur général, écartant l’idée de se plier à la demande des partis d’opposition.
Devant les critiques unanimes du Parti conservateur, du Bloc québécois et du NPD qui mettent en doute l’impartialité de David Johnston et exigent son départ, M. Trudeau est resté de marbre, mardi. Il a réitéré sa confiance envers l’homme qu’il a choisi pour examiner l’ampleur de l’ingérence étrangère durant les élections de 2019 et 2021 et qui a recommandé de ne pas tenir une enquête publique dans un rapport qui a fait grand bruit, rendu public la semaine dernière.
M. Trudeau est passé à l’offensive le jour même où les députés ont commencé à débattre d’une motion du NPD exigeant le départ de M. Johnston. Tout indique que cette motion, qui sera mise aux voix mercredi, sera adoptée grâce à l’union des forces des trois partis de l’opposition.
« M. Johnston a servi de façon extraordinaire au fil des générations. Il a été nommé à des postes importants deux ou trois fois par M. [Stephen] Harper. He is someone who has demonstrated his commitment to Canada,” Trudeau told reporters before heading inside the House of Commons.
PHOTO JUSTIN TANG, THE CANADIAN PRESS
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau reiterated his confidence in David Johnston, whom he has chosen to examine the extent of foreign interference during the 2019 and 2021 elections.
The Prime Minister later criticized Conservative Party leader Pierre Poilievre and Bloc Québécois leader Yves-François Blanchet for sinking into partisan attacks by questioning the integrity of the former governor general.
Mr. Trudeau was particularly scathing towards the Conservative leader, accusing him of refusing to see the same secret national security documents that David Johnston had access to in order to conclude that a public inquiry was not necessary in order to preserve his lines of attack.
“He chooses ignorance so he can continue his baseless attacks on our former governor general,” he said.
“Nobody believes the Prime Minister’s cabin friend, a member of the Trudeau Foundation, David Johnston, when he tries to hide the reality of Beijing’s interference to support the Liberal Party,” thundered the Conservative leader from the start. beginning of the question period.
“To strengthen and restore the confidence of Canadians in our democratic system, will he finally fire his friend from the Trudeau Foundation and launch a real public inquiry? “, he also asked.
“The Prime Minister is isolated. He doesn’t have many friends anymore except for Mr. Johnston. All parties want a public and independent inquiry,” said Bloc leader Yves-François Blanchet.
PHOTO ADRIAN WYLD, THE CANADIAN PRESS ARCHIVES
Bloc leader Yves-François Blanchet
“If Mr. Johnston refuses to recuse himself as it is quite possible that Parliament asks him to do, will the Prime Minister have the dignity and the sense of the State to dismiss him and set up a commission of inquiry independent and public,” he added.
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh also chimed in, saying the appearances of bias are such that David Johnston simply cannot continue as special rapporteur.
“The Prime Minister must do the right thing and take that mandate away from him so that Canadians can once again have confidence in our electoral system.”
The Prime Minister responded to these virulent criticisms by deploring that the opposition parties indulge in “political games” instead of taking the issue of foreign interference seriously.