Public inquiry into foreign interference 'has never been off the table': LeBlanc
Intergovernmental Affairs Minister Dominic LeBlanc says a public inquiry into foreign interference “has never been off the table,” following the sudden resignation of special rapporteur David Johnston.
“All options remain on the table,” LeBlanc told reporters Saturday. “The prime minister said so when he announced the appointment of Mr. Johnston.”
LeBlanc, who is also the minister responsible for democratic institutions, also said that following Johnston’s resignation, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau tasked him with “consulting … experts, legal scholars and opposition parties on what the next steps should look like, and determine who best may be suited to lead this public work.”
Johnston resigned Friday evening, citing in a letter addressed to the prime minister the intense politicization of his appointment and work as the reason for his departure.
Since he was appointed to the role of special rapporteur in March, Johnston has faced heavy scrutiny from opposition parties for his personal connection to the prime minister. That criticism grew louder when he recommended against a public inquiry, instead suggesting public hearings that would be led by him.
Earlier this month, MPs also voted in favour of a non-binding motion to ask Johnston to step down, but just three days before his resignation, the former governor general testified before a parliamentary committee that he planned to stay on and forge ahead with his mandate.
LeBlanc said he’ll be asking “opposition leaders to take this matter seriously,” and to “not just simply say there has to be a public inquiry.”
He said he’d be in talks with opposition parties to take suggestions on who could lead a public inquiry if one were called, what the timeline would be, and how classified security information should be handled in such a situation, for example.
“Those are the kinds of conversations we're prepared to have in very short order,” LeBlanc said. “We've said all along that all options remain on the table.
“We think there should be a public process going forward, as Mr. Johnston recommended,” LeBlanc added. “So my hope is very quickly, we can come to some consensus around those next steps.”
But LeBlanc also took aim at Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre specifically, accusing the Opposition leader of “character assassination” and “partisan buffoonery” in the last few months when it comes to Johnston’s appointment.
Poilievre has repeatedly referred to Johnston as Trudeau’s “cottage neighbour” and “ski buddy,” and described the role of special rapporteur as a “fake job.”
“One of the challenges would be many eminent Canadians will understandably hesitate to step forward to undertake this kind of work when they see what the opposition parties did to the Right Honourable David Johnston,” LeBlanc said. “So if we can lower the partisan temperature and have a serious conversation about a serious issue, we're confident that we could find the right eminent person to lead this next public phase of the engagement.”
Johnston said his resignation would be effective no later than the end of this month, or as soon as he delivers a “brief final report,” which he aims to have done soon.
With files from CTVNews.ca’s Senior Digital Parliamentary Reporter Rachel Aiello and CTV’s Question Period Senior Producer Stephanie Ha
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
The identities have been released of the mother and daughter who were killed after a fire tore through a 160-year-old building in Old Montreal on Friday.
Tropical Storm Milton forms in Gulf of Mexico, could intensify as a hurricane threatening Florida
Tropical Storm Milton has formed in the Gulf of Mexico. It is located 220 miles (355 kilometres) north-northeast of Veracruz, Mexico.
The sentencing of the man who pleaded guilty in the deadly hit-and-run in Kitsilano two years ago began on Friday.
Frequent drinking of fizzy beverages and fruit juice are linked to an increased risk of stroke: research
New data raises questions about the drinks people consume and the potential risks associated with them, according to researchers at Galway University in Ireland, in partnership with Hamilton’s McMaster University.
A 30-year-old northwestern Ontario woman has been charged with arson following a structure fire Thursday night, police say.
Ontario Provincial Police have laid stunt charges against a driver caught speeding 75 km/h over the speed limit on Highway 417 in Ottawa's west end.
Travelling on a budget can be stressful, but there are ways you can ensure you're getting the best deal on flights as the holiday season approaches.
A French judge in a shocking rape case allows the public to see some of the video evidence
A French judge in the trial of dozens of men accused of raping an unconscious woman whose now former husband had repeatedly drugged her so that he and others could assault her decided on Friday to allow the public to see some of the video recordings of the alleged rapes.
The Menendez brothers case is not the only one that's been affected by a true crime documentary
Being an armchair detective has turned into an American obsession, fueled by an abundance of true-crime content in podcasts and television series. But some of those projects have sparked actual legal developments.
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.