'A trap': Opposition rejects Trudeau's security clearance offer to access confidential annex of Johnston report
The leaders of the two largest federal opposition parties are rejecting Justin Trudeau's invitation to receive security clearances in order to review the confidential annex of special rapporteur David Johnston's report, prompting the prime minister to accuse them of hiding behind "a veil of ignorance."
On Tuesday, while pointing to the real threat that foreign election interference poses and the need to address some serious intelligence gaps, Johnston recommended against a public inquiry into the federal government's handling of the issue. He instead plans to conduct more forward-looking public hearings.
In making this assessment, he compiled a "confidential annex" that addressed the major interference allegations and relevant intelligence documents that led Johnston to this conclusion.
This special addendum was provided to the prime minister, with the recommendation that it be shared with opposition party leaders, provided they receive the needed top secret security clearance required to review it.
Trudeau said Tuesday that he'd written to his opposition counterparts to start the process of being cleared so they can see the same full picture that he has, but that offer has quickly been rebuffed, with Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre and Bloc Quebecois Leader Yves-Francois Blanchet refusing to pursue reading the secret information.
"It's a trap," Blanchet said Wednesday, speaking to reporters in Ottawa.
While Blanchet said he isn’t taking Johnston's word for anything, he still won't pursue reading the same information himself because he thinks Trudeau is trying to use the offer to essentially silence the opposition party leaders on the issue, because they would be unable to speak publicly about what they learned by gaining access to the classified material.
"The trap is to say: 'If you want to see it all, you cannot say anything, or do anything with that,'" Blanchet said. "And then they [the Liberals] will tell everybody that 'everything is fixed' because the leaders of the opposition parties have seen something, which they can do nothing about."
Blanchet, who said Johnston's report minimizes the seriousness of the issue of foreign interference and makes it appear as if he's trying to protect the governing Liberals' secrecy, is now calling for some degree of documentation to be declassified.
"Somebody has to make wise and careful decisions about which documents can be made public or not. It cannot be him [Johnston]. It cannot be the prime minister's office either. It has to be somebody independent, with a mandate from the Parliament, this is the only way to do this. Some of these documents may be revealed, some cannot," Blanchet said.
Speaking to reporters in Toronto, Poilievre confirmed that he would not take part in any top-secret briefing process, after saying Tuesday that he "will not be silenced."
He pointed to the leaks that have generated much of the reporting on attempts to meddle in the 2019 and 2021 campaigns as an indication that there are members of Canada's intelligence community that think the public should know more. In his report, Johnston examined several cases of leaked intelligence reported on by The Globe and Mail and Global News, concluding that in certain cases intelligence or materials were "misconstrued in some media reports" as they were lacking the context of the bigger picture, as provided in his annex.
Poilievre also committed Wednesday to calling a public inquiry if the Conservatives form the next government. He said that process would be led by a judge with national security experience and subpoena powers to compel "any and all documents from the government, and decide based on the facts and based on our national interest, what share of that should be public."
Johnston has recommended that his findings should be referred to and reviewed by the National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians (NSICOP) and the National Security and Intelligence Review Committee (NSIRA), and both oversight bodies should report publicly if they disagree.
Both Blanchet and Poilievre have indicated that they won't impede on their MPs who sit on NSICOP, from taking part in that top-secret panel's review.
'A VEIL OF IGNORANCE'
In his report, Johnston said that while he knows that in normal political circumstances an opposition party leader may not want to subject themselves to the constraints of the Security of Information Act, "this matter is too important for anyone aspiring to lead the country to intentionally maintain a veil of ignorance on these matters."
He said that while political parties may disagree, and want to continue debating the issue of foreign interference, they should do so "from a common understanding of the true facts, not as speculated or hypothesized from media reports based on leaks of partial information."
"These oversight reviews should increase trust and ensure Parliament has a sounder basis for the important debates it will have on foreign interference and steps to detect, deter and counter it," Johnston said.
Echoing this view, on Wednesday Trudeau borrowed some of Johnston's language, panning Poilievre specifically, saying that he is "choosing to sit behind a veil of ignorance."
"He doesn't want the facts to get in the way of a good political argument, or a personal attack. I think Canadians have to ask themselves the question: is that a serious leader? Is that a serious way to handle something as important as foreign countries trying to mess with our democracy, with our businesses, with our diaspora communities," Trudeau said. "On an issue like this, we have to be grounded in facts. That's what this government is doing, that's what David Johnston has done."
The only opposition party leader that has expressed interest in taking up Trudeau's offer to receive the clearance needed to view the entirety of Johnston's findings is NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh.
He continues to make a case for some form of public inquiry, while acknowledging that it's not possible for some of the most salient pieces of information that may reassure Canadians to be shared.
"We believe that Mr. Johnston's work should continue. He's uncovered some important findings, and those are those important things for Canadians to know about, but I remain resolute that we do need a public inquiry," Singh said on CTV's Power Play on Tuesday.
The NDP leader plans to sit down with Trudeau to let him know he plans to use "all tools" he has to continue to push for an inquiry.
Green Party Leader Elizabeth May said despite not being contacted to take part in Johnston's review so far, she wants to review the confidential information and is fine with the security limitations.
"Unlike other opposition parties, the Greens have written the Rt Hon David Johnston to request access to security-protected documents and background," said the party in a statement on Wednesday.
"In our view, having the chance to review background and highly confidential information is an important aspect of our democratic process," said May in the statement. "If, after reviewing that information, we still believe a public inquiry is required, which I expect we will, then having full knowledge and greater context, is not a barrier to calling for a full public inquiry. Unlike Mr. Poilievre, we think being fully informed is a strength."
A last-minute meeting of the Procedure and House Affairs Committee that has been studying the issue of foreign election interference, has been called for Thursday, with MPs wanting to discuss Johnston's report.
IN DEPTH
Jagmeet Singh pulls NDP out of deal with Trudeau Liberals, takes aim at Poilievre Conservatives
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh has pulled his party out of the supply-and-confidence agreement that had been helping keep Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's minority Liberals in power.
'Not the result we wanted': Trudeau responds after surprise Conservative byelection win in Liberal stronghold
Conservative candidate Don Stewart winning the closely-watched Toronto-St. Paul's federal byelection, and delivering a stunning upset to Justin Trudeau's candidate Leslie Church in the long-time Liberal riding, has sent political shockwaves through both parties.
'We will go with the majority': Liberals slammed by opposition over proposal to delay next election
The federal Liberal government learned Friday it might have to retreat on a proposal within its electoral reform legislation to delay the next vote by one week, after all opposition parties came out to say they can't support it.
Budget 2024 prioritizes housing while taxing highest earners, deficit projected at $39.8B
In an effort to level the playing field for young people, in the 2024 federal budget, the government is targeting Canada's highest earners with new taxes in order to help offset billions in new spending to enhance the country's housing supply and social supports.
'One of the greatest': Former prime minister Brian Mulroney commemorated at state funeral
Prominent Canadians, political leaders, and family members remembered former prime minister and Progressive Conservative titan Brian Mulroney as an ambitious and compassionate nation-builder at his state funeral on Saturday.
Opinion
opinion Don Martin: Gusher of Liberal spending won't put out the fire in this dumpster
A Hail Mary rehash of the greatest hits from the Trudeau government’s three-week travelling pony-show, the 2024 federal budget takes aim at reversing the party’s popularity plunge in the under-40 set, writes political columnist Don Martin. But will it work before the next election?
opinion Don Martin: The doctor Trudeau dumped has a prescription for better health care
Political columnist Don Martin sat down with former federal health minister Jane Philpott, who's on a crusade to help fix Canada's broken health care system, and who declined to take any shots at the prime minister who dumped her from caucus.
opinion Don Martin: Trudeau's seeking shelter from the housing storm he helped create
While Justin Trudeau's recent housing announcements are generally drawing praise from experts, political columnist Don Martin argues there shouldn’t be any standing ovations for a prime minister who helped caused the problem in the first place.
opinion Don Martin: Poilievre has the field to himself as he races across the country to big crowds
It came to pass on Thursday evening that the confidentially predictable failure of the Official Opposition non-confidence motion went down with 204 Liberal, BQ and NDP nays to 116 Conservative yeas. But forcing Canada into a federal election campaign was never the point.
opinion Don Martin: How a beer break may have doomed the carbon tax hike
When the Liberal government chopped a planned beer excise tax hike to two per cent from 4.5 per cent and froze future increases until after the next election, says political columnist Don Martin, it almost guaranteed a similar carbon tax move in the offing.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canadian family stuck in Lebanon anxiously awaits flight options amid Israeli strikes
A Canadian man who is trapped in Lebanon with his family says they are anxiously waiting for seats on a flight out of the country, as a barrage of Israeli airstrikes continues.
Yazidi woman captured by ISIS rescued in Gaza after more than a decade in captivity
A 21-year-old Yazidi woman has been rescued from Gaza where she had been held captive by Hamas for years after being trafficked by ISIS.
Scientists looked at images from space to see how fast Antarctica is turning green. Here's what they found
Parts of icy Antarctica are turning green with plant life at an alarming rate as the region is gripped by extreme heat events, according to new research, sparking concerns about the changing landscape on this vast continent.
A 21-year-old man who was charged with attempted murder in the shooting of a Toronto police officer this week was out on bail at the time of the alleged offence, court documents obtained by ۴ý Toronto show.
A 6-year-old girl was kidnapped in Arkansas in 1995. Almost 30 years later, a suspect was identified
Nearly 30 years after a six-year-old girl disappeared in Western Arkansas, authorities have identified a suspect in her abduction through DNA evidence.
A Michigan man is charged with killing and dismembering a janitor he met on the Grindr dating app
Prosecutors have charged a Michigan man with killing and dismembering a janitor he met on the dating app Grindr.
NEW
A teen charged with the murder of another teen on Prince Edward Island last year has pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of manslaughter.
Haitian gang kills at least 70 people, including 3 infants, UN says
Armed men belonging to the Gran Grif gang killed at least 70 people, including three infants, as they swept through a Haitian town shooting automatic rifles at residents, a spokesperson for the United Nations' Human Rights Office said on Friday.
DEVELOPING
At least two people are dead and others are injured after a fire ripped through a century-old building near Montreal's City Hall, sources told Noovo Info.
Local Spotlight
Chantal Kreviazuk is set to return to Winnipeg to mark a major milestone in her illustrious musical career.
From the beaches of Cannes to the bustling streets of New York City, a new film by a trio of Manitoba directors has toured the international film festival circuit to much pomp and circumstance.
A husband and wife have been on the road trip of a lifetime and have decided to stop in Saskatchewan for the winter.
The grave of a previously unknown Canadian soldier has been identified as a man from Hayfield, Man. who fought in the First World War.
A group of classic car enthusiasts donated hundreds of blankets to nursing homes in Nova Scotia.
Moving into the second week of October, the eastern half of Canada can expect some brisker fall air to break down from the north
What does New Westminster's təməsew̓txʷ Aquatic and Community Centre have in common with a historic 68,000-seat stadium in Beijing, an NFL stadium and the aquatics venue for the Paris Olympics? They've all been named among the world's most beautiful sports venues for 2024.
The last living member of the legendary Vancouver Asahi baseball team, Kaye Kaminishi, died on Saturday, Sept. 28, surrounded by family. He was 102 years old.
New data from Greater Vancouver and the Fraser Valley shows a surge in supply and drop in demand in the region's historically hot real estate market.