“Given the clear apprehension of bias at this point, we are going to be asking for Mr. Johnston to step aside as special rapporteur” said Jagmeet Singh.
It would appear the issue of China’s interference in Canada is no longer an abstract thing for Jagmeet Singh. One of his fellow NDP MPs has been informed that she is being targeted by the Communist State:
“NDP MP Jenny Kwan announces CSIS has warned her she is being targeted by the Chinese government because of her criticism of Beijing’s draconian crackdown in Hong Kong and its repression of Uyghurs. “I will not be silenced.””
NDP MP Jenny Kwan announces CSIS has warned her she is being targeted by the Chinese government because of her criticism of Beijing’s draconian crackdown in Hong Kong and its repression of Uyghurs. “I will not be silenced.” pic.twitter.com/ez2S9nFgGX
— Steven Chase (@stevenchase) May 29, 2023
In the same press conference in which this was announced, Singh declared that the NDP will be moving a motion calling on Justin Trudeau’s hand-picked “special rapporteur” David Johnston to resign from the position:
“Given the clear apprehension of bias at this point, we are going to be asking for Mr. Johnston to step aside as special rapporteur,” says NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh re: opposition day motion on foreign interference his party will present in the House of Commons tomorrow.”
"Given the clear apprehension of bias at this point, we are going to be asking for Mr. Johnston to step aside as special rapporteur," says NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh re: opposition day motion on foreign interference his party will present in the House of Commons tomorrow.#cdnpoli pic.twitter.com/2eXZBHu5dV
— CPAC (@CPAC_TV) May 29, 2023
This is actually a good idea. While Singh has done significant damage by propping up Trudeau, pushing for David Johnston to resign is something that should be supported by all parties.
It’s also something the Conservatives have been saying for a while, with Conservative Party Leader Pierre Poilievre repeatedly calling for eliminating the special rapporteur role itself and having a fully independent public inquiry.
Now that Singh is echoing that call, the question is what brought about this change, and whether it will lead to anything substantive.
The issue has been personalized
Often, it takes a personal encounter with an issue for it seem real. Perhaps Singh is realizing that there are real consequences to aiding and abetting Trudeau’s attempt to stop Canadians from finding out what China is up to.
Now, one of his own MPs is being targeted for speaking out against China, so it’s not just an abstract issue for the NDP anymore. Trudeau’s refusal to call an inquiry, and Trudeau’s attempt to hide behind his friend David Johnston, could now be putting Canadian MPs of all parties – including Erin O’Toole and Jenny Kwan – at further risk.
Next step?
The motion will be symbolic, just as the motion to call for a public inquiry was non-binding. While that raises serious questions about our system – why should a minority government be allowed to ignore what the majority of elected MPs want? – we will now see whether Singh takes the next step.
He has significant leverage here, because he can make it clear to Trudeau that the Liberal-NDP Pact will be dissolved if Johnston doesn’t resign and if an inquiry isn’t called.
With some of his own colleagues now under siege by the Chinese Communist State, will Singh show the courage to really step up?
Spencer Fernando
Photo – Twitter
