Canada's special investigator to probe China's alleged election meddling in the country is resigning from his post, he announced on Friday, June 9.
The investigator appointed by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, David Johnston, blamed the widespread opposition not only for his work but for his appointment as well for his abrupt step-down.
Canada Special Investigator on China Election Meddling Resigns
The outgoing Governor General David Johnston receives a standing ovation in the senate in Ottawa, Ontario, October 2, 2017. The former astronaut Julie Payette will become the 29th Governor General of Canada later this morning.
As per a recent report by Reuters, Canada's special investigator tasked with probing allegations of Chinese election meddling has suddenly thrown in the towel. The 81-year-old special investigator of Prime Minister Trudeau says he will vacate his post once he delivers his brief final report, which could be before June ends.
He confirmed, "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."
According to The Guardian, the Canadian investigator emphasized that he decided to abruptly quit due to the "highly partisan atmosphere" of his responsibilities. He says that his work was supposed to instill trust in the democratic institutions of the country. However, given the climate of the situation, he feels that his leadership did otherwise. Thus, he decided to step down.
In May, Johnston released a report uncovering an alarming claim. He disclosed that "foreign governments are undoubtedly attempting to influence candidates and voters in Canada." He notes that the country still needs to exert more effort to "strengthen [its] capacity to resist foreign interference."
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China's Alleged Meddling in Canada Elections
China's President Xi Jinping attends a meeting with Russian President at the Kremlin in Moscow on March 20, 2023.
Throughout his appointment, the special investigation received widespread backlash from the opposition parties in Canada, accusing him of bias.
Voice of America News reports that allegations of China's interference in the recent federal elections spread early this year. It accuses Beijing of favoring Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his Liberal Party after meddling in the polls.
Amid the accusations, Trudeau appointed a "special rapporteur" to lead the probe, deciding whether the issue requires a formal inquiry.
The Canadian government appointed the former Governor General Johnston last March following reports that shed light on allegations that Beijing tried to influence elections and policies in the country. However, China maintained a denial of such accusations.
According to BBC, the special rapporteur recommended the government hold a series of hearings on the election meddling claims instead of a public inquiry.
The recommendation comes despite the pressure hounding the Prime Minister to mount a public probe on the interference accusations. And as such, opposition legislators slammed the decision of Trudeau to back the recommendation of Johnston.
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