No public inquiry into foreign interference: Trudeau backs Johnston's 'public hearings' plan

A public process is required on the issue of foreign interference, special rapporteur David Johnston says, but not in the form of a public inquiry.

A public process is required on the issue of foreign interference, special rapporteur David Johnston says, but not in the form of a public inquiry.

Instead, Johnston announced Tuesday that he plans to hold "a series of public hearings with Canadians" to shine more light on the "problem of foreign interference" and inform the public and policymakers on the threat it poses, and ways to address it with urgency.

After months of political scrutiny from an opposition united in their calls for an independent and open airing of the facts, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has come out in full support of Johnston's decision to sidestep an inquiry, continuing to assert his government has, and will continue to handle the issue with the seriousness it deserves. 

"Foreign governments are undoubtedly attempting to influence candidates and voters in Canada," Johnston writes in his first report in the role of special rapporteur. "Much has been done already, but considerably more remains to be done to strengthen our capacity to resist foreign interference."

Rather than advising the federal government to strike a public inquiry and appoint someone else to lead it, the former governor general intends to do the work himself in the five remaining months of his mandate.

During these hearings Johnston says he plans to speak to and hear from Canadians — particularly those in diaspora communities — as well as current and former government officials, knowledgeable experts, and "other interested parties" about foreign interference and ways to improve Canada's response to it.

"This will be a public process, but not a public inquiry, as I do not need the subpoena powers provided by the Inquiries Act to gather this information and encourage public attention on these matters," Johnston wrote in his report.