A Bloc Quebecois MP stated in a House Affairs committee meeting that the cabinet's decision not to conduct a public inquiry into the allegations of illegal activities by Chinese agents was not surprising.. David Johnston First Report .“The walls are closing in,” said MP Marie-Helene Gaudreau (Laurentides-Labelle, QC). .“That’s enough.”.“Partisanship is winning out over the integrity of our democracy,” said Gaudreau. .“I have said it before and I’ll say it again, we in the Bloc are not out to get power, we are out to get information. And to get information you need experts and there needs to be a public inquiry.”.The Commons on March 23 voted 172 to 149 to “launch a national public inquiry into allegations of foreign interference in Canada’s democratic system.” .According to Blacklock’s Reporter, the motion asked that the investigation be led by a judge selected by all House leaders with powers to compel testimony and subpoena documents. .It followed a similar vote by Conservative, Bloc and New Democrat MPs in the House Affairs committee on March 2..“No one listened to what we as parliamentarians had to say,” said Gaudreau. .“We as parliamentarians wanted to have a say over the whole process.”.Former governor general David Johnston on Tuesday in his First Report as “special rapporteur” to the prime minister said a public inquiry “would not be the best way forward.” .Johnson said that the cabinet was not to be blamed for how they handled the allegations of Chinese foreign agents influencing elections..“I have not found examples of ministers, the prime minister or their offices knowingly ignoring intelligence, advice or recommendations on foreign interference or being driven by partisan considerations in dealing with these issues,” wrote Johnston..Gaudreau was frustrated with the report..“You know what? I knew what would happen,” said Gaudreau..“I saw this coming a long way off. What’s going on is the committee is trying to find every way imaginable to ignore what a majority of MPs have expressed in the House.”.“Honestly, this tug of war we are going through to defend our democracy,” said Gaudreau. .“What we really want to do at the end of the day is protect our democracy.”.Conservative MP Michael Barrett (Leeds-Grenville, ON) dismissed Johnston’s First Report as a stalling tactic. .“The House didn’t direct or ask the prime minister to subcontract out the question,” said Barrett..“We as a majority on behalf of Canadians called for a public inquiry,” said Barrett. .“The work that has been done thus far, though incomplete, does not satisfy the real concerns about confidence in our democratic institutions.”
A Bloc Quebecois MP stated in a House Affairs committee meeting that the cabinet's decision not to conduct a public inquiry into the allegations of illegal activities by Chinese agents was not surprising.. David Johnston First Report .“The walls are closing in,” said MP Marie-Helene Gaudreau (Laurentides-Labelle, QC). .“That’s enough.”.“Partisanship is winning out over the integrity of our democracy,” said Gaudreau. .“I have said it before and I’ll say it again, we in the Bloc are not out to get power, we are out to get information. And to get information you need experts and there needs to be a public inquiry.”.The Commons on March 23 voted 172 to 149 to “launch a national public inquiry into allegations of foreign interference in Canada’s democratic system.” .According to Blacklock’s Reporter, the motion asked that the investigation be led by a judge selected by all House leaders with powers to compel testimony and subpoena documents. .It followed a similar vote by Conservative, Bloc and New Democrat MPs in the House Affairs committee on March 2..“No one listened to what we as parliamentarians had to say,” said Gaudreau. .“We as parliamentarians wanted to have a say over the whole process.”.Former governor general David Johnston on Tuesday in his First Report as “special rapporteur” to the prime minister said a public inquiry “would not be the best way forward.” .Johnson said that the cabinet was not to be blamed for how they handled the allegations of Chinese foreign agents influencing elections..“I have not found examples of ministers, the prime minister or their offices knowingly ignoring intelligence, advice or recommendations on foreign interference or being driven by partisan considerations in dealing with these issues,” wrote Johnston..Gaudreau was frustrated with the report..“You know what? I knew what would happen,” said Gaudreau..“I saw this coming a long way off. What’s going on is the committee is trying to find every way imaginable to ignore what a majority of MPs have expressed in the House.”.“Honestly, this tug of war we are going through to defend our democracy,” said Gaudreau. .“What we really want to do at the end of the day is protect our democracy.”.Conservative MP Michael Barrett (Leeds-Grenville, ON) dismissed Johnston’s First Report as a stalling tactic. .“The House didn’t direct or ask the prime minister to subcontract out the question,” said Barrett..“We as a majority on behalf of Canadians called for a public inquiry,” said Barrett. .“The work that has been done thus far, though incomplete, does not satisfy the real concerns about confidence in our democratic institutions.”
