Canada’s NDP wants Johnston to step aside and is calling for a public inquiry into foreign interference

OTTAWA – On Tuesday, Canada’s NDP introduced a motion urging David Johnston to step aside and for the government to immediately establish a public inquiry into foreign interference. The call comes in response to Johnston’s perceived bias and the need to fully restore the confidence of Canadians in our democratic system after months of reports of foreign interference.

“Canadians are rightfully concerned about the integrity of our democratic institutions, and the work foreign state actors are doing to undermine our democracy. Unlike this Liberal government, the NDP is committed to uncovering the truth,” said Canada’s NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh. “Today, we’re introducing a motion to help get to the bottom of these very troubling reports so we can start working on solutions and build back Canadians' trust in our electoral system.”

In addition, the NDP motion is asking for the scope of the public inquiry to include all aspects of foreign interference from all states, including, but not limited to, the actions of Chinese, Indian, and Russian governments, as well as a multi-partisan approach to ensure the inquiry is independent.

“The Liberals keep refusing to hold a public inquiry and I think many Canadians are becoming more and more worried. On the other hand, there’s the Conservatives, who are more interested in scoring political points than getting answers,” said Singh. “Right now, the NDP is the only party looking to work with all members of parliament to ensure the interests of Canadians are put first. We’re using all tools at our disposal to get answers and transparency that Canadians deserve.”