rapporteur

Friday March 17, 2023

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Friday March 17, 2023

Trudeau calls David Johnston ‘unimpeachable’ as Conservatives attack his impartiality

March 9, 2023

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau defended his choice of former governor general David Johnston as special election rapporteur Friday, arguing that Conservative attacks on him show the party is more interested in creating chaos than tackling foreign election interference.

“David Johnston has served this country in many, many different ways through a long and unimpeachable career,” Trudeau said in Guelph, Ont. of the man he appointed to investigate reports of foreign election interference.

“When we are looking to someone who will put the country first, and put the interest of Canadians at the core of everything he does, there is no better name than David Johnston.”

Citing classified Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) sources, multiple media reports have alleged that China tried to ensure the Liberals won a minority government in the last general election. Those reports also said Beijing worked to defeat Conservative candidates who were critical of China by interfering in the last two federal elections.

March 2, 2023

A panel of top civil servants concluded that attempts to interfere with the 2021 federal election did not affect the results. Trudeau has announced multiple investigations into foreign election interference and appointed Johnston as special rapporteur earlier this week.

Among other things, Johnston has been tasked with advising the prime minister on whether to call a public inquiry — something all of the opposition parties have demanded.

Trudeau has said he will abide by Johnston’s recommendations. The Conservatives and the Bloc Québécois pushed back against Johnston’s appointment Thursday, arguing that he is too closely linked with the prime minister.

March 19, 2015

“Trudeau has named a family friend, old neighbour from the cottage and member of the Beijing-funded Trudeau foundation to be the independent rapporteur on Beijing’s interference,” Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre said in a media statement.

“Get real. Trudeau must end his cover up. Call a public inquiry.”

Trudeau said Poilievre is “hoping that if he attacks our institutions with a flamethrower, maybe he’s going to be able to win. That sounds like a really great way of ensuring that all Canadians lose.”

The prime minister said the Conservatives under Poilievre are only concerned with turning the election interference issue into a partisan circus.

“We need to stand up for our institutions, we need to reassure Canadians that everything has been done and will be done to make sure that they are focused on serving Canadians, and keeping people safe. (CBC) 

 

Thursday March 9, 2023

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Thursday March 9, 2023

Ottawa says special rapporteur on election interference will be named within weeks

As the Trudeau government promises to appoint a special rapporteur within weeks to investigate claims that China meddled in Canada’s last two elections, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre is casting doubt on the independence of the new role.

February 25, 2023

On Monday night, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said he will name an “eminent” and independent person as a special rapporteur on election interference. He said the special rapporteur “will have a wide mandate and make expert recommendations on combating interference and strengthening our democracy.”

The next day, Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino said the government wants to appoint the special rapporteur in a very short period of time.

“We’re talking about weeks, not months,” he said.

Trudeau said he’s open to consulting with the opposition parties on choosing someone for the role. Poilievre said he was skeptical.

“He could pick someone independent but he won’t,” Poilievre told reporters Tuesday morning.

“He’ll pick another Liberal establishment insider, a real Ottawa insider with some grey hair who looks like a reasonable fellow, but we all know that it will be someone tied to him, tied to the Liberals.”

March 2, 2023

The Conservatives have largely dismissed a recent report highlighting foreign interference observations during the 2021 election. The report was written by Morris Rosenberg, who was appointed to the role by the public service. 

The veteran former public servant also worked as the head of the Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation. Poilievre’s party has said that fact makes him not credible.

“[Trudeau is] going to appoint a special rapporteur that will be appointed by him who will come out and say, ‘Oh, everything is fine, let’s move on,'” said Poilievre.

“He wants closed and controlled and we want an open and independent inquiry to make sure it never happens again.”

‘Special rapporteur’ is term often used in the context of the United Nations. Special rapporteurs are are often appointed to conduct fact-finding missions or investigate allegations of human rights violations.

April 24, 2009

During a separate news conference, Bloc Québécois Leader Yves-François Blanchet said the special rapporteur should be appointed by Parliament, not the prime minister.

NDP House Leader Peter Julian told CBC’s Power & Politics that Monday’s announcement was a baby step and the special rapporteur needs to be “impeccable.”

“It cannot be somebody who is considered partisan and cannot be somebody who is not considered independent from the Liberal government,” he said.

Trudeau said Tuesday he will consider names floated by his political opponents.

“We will of course be open to suggestions that the various parties put forward for names for this independent special rapporteur,” he said during a news conference in Kingston, Ont. (CBC) 

From sketch to finish in 30 seconds, see the current way Graeme completes an editorial cartoon using an iPencil, the Procreate app, and a couple of cheats on an iPad Pro …