In response to Mr. Whitcombe’s column regarding David Johnstons’ appointment as special rapporteur, it is easy to see that Mr. Whitcombe is missing some key aspects of the issue.
This appointment is to investigate the possibility of Chinese interference in the last two Canadian elections. Maintaining our democratic institutions and our collective belief in the process is of the utmost importance to the foundation of our democracy.
The key point that Mr. Whitcombe fails to address is that to restore faith in the democratic process is that the Justin Trudeau government needs to open a fully transparent public inquiry into the issue. Instead, Prime Minister Trudeau appointed Mr. Johnston in a closed process for a closed investigation while maintaining a Liberal government filibuster to prevent the chief of staff from publicly appearing before the committee responsible.
Furthermore, Mr. Johnston does not have an impeccable record. He is literally a member of the Trudeau Foundation, which received funds from the Chinese government, funds that the foundation had to return recently. This is clearly a perception of a conflict of interest.
Lisa Handley
Prince George
