Justin Trudeau's premiership in jeopardy
A public investigation into Chinese interference in the election could result in the removal of a politician.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said he would appoint a special investigator to decide whether or not to conduct a public investigation into reports of Chinese interference. Trudeau has also instructed the National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians to look into classified information on the matter.
While opposition parties are demanding a full public inquiry, Trudeau refuses to do so right now but says he will appoint an independent special rapporteur to decide whether a public inquiry is needed. Trudeau said he will stick with that recommendation going forward.
"We will ask the independent special rapporteur, as one of the first tasks of their mandate, to provide the government with a recommendation as to what the appropriate next step be — whether it be an inquiry, an investigation or a judicial review — and what the scope of that work may be," Trudeau said.
Trudeau noted that all political leaders agree that the results of the 2019 and 2021 elections were not affected by foreign interference. But even if it did not change the outcome of the election, any attempt at foreign interference is troubling and very serious.
