David Johnston spoke to the House Affairs committee about some unusual practices involved in the nomination of MP Han Dong (Don Valley North, ON) as a Liberal candidate in 2019. . David Johnston .According to Blacklock’s Reporter, Johnston did not inquire about Dong's interactions with Chinese officials..“With respect to the nomination meeting, there clearly were strange practices, unusual practices going on,” testified Johnston. .“We did not conclude from that it was directly laid to the hands of the People’s Republic. There clearly was discussion between Mr. Dong and the Consulate in Toronto.”.“Why did you not bother to interview Mr. Dong?” asked Conservative MP Michael Cooper (St. Albert-Edmonton, AB). .“We, I think, interviewed the people who had information about his particular matters,” replied Johnston..On March 22, Dong decided to leave the Liberal caucus. In a filing submitted to the Ontario Superior Court on April 21, Dong acknowledged having at least 12 phone calls with China's Ambassador in Ottawa and Consul in Toronto..“Irregularities were observed with Mr. Dong’s nomination in 2019 and there is well-grounded suspicion the irregularities were tied to the China Consulate in Toronto with whom Mr. Dong maintains relationships,” Johnston wrote in a May 23 First Report..“Your report noted ‘irregularities,’” said New Democrat MP Jenny Kwan (Vancouver East, BC). “My question is, did you look into what those irregularities were?”.“Did you ask if the prime minister knew about what those irregularities were?” asked Kwan..“Could you be a little more specific about the irregularities?” replied Johnston..“The irregularities, Mr. Johnston, what you cited in the report to say that ‘irregularities were observed with Mr. Dong’s nomination in 2019’ and that there were ‘well-grounded suspicions the irregularities were tied to the PRC Consulate in Toronto,’” said Kwan..“The irregularities thing had to do with the nomination meetings and busing in of people and students and so on and some questions about whether Mr. Dong had been substituted for another candidate in the nomination process. I think they were that kind,” replied Johnston..“My question was, Mr. Johnston if you asked the prime minister if he knew what the irregularities were,” said Kwan..“We did ask the prime minister about the nomination of Mr. Dong…” replied Johnston..“My question was if the prime minister knew about what those irregularities were?” asked Kwan..“I believe the prime minister was aware there was some question about the actual nomination and the busing in of people, et cetera,” replied Johnston..“Mr. Johnston, you concluded it was reasonable for the prime minister to take no action even though in your own report you cited there were irregularities and well-founded suspicions,” said Kwan. .“From my perspective, I don’t know how you can square that circle and come to that conclusion when there were well-founded suspicions and yet no action was taken.”.“The notion is to say, ‘I see no evil, I know no evil, so therefore there is no evil,’” said Kwan. .“But in reality, it is much more and much deeper.”.Johnston in his report said he found “no evidence that Mr. Dong was aware of the irregularities or the Consulate’s potential involvement in his nomination” but provided no basis for his conclusion. .“He continued to maintain close relationships with the China Consulate at least through the 2021 election,” wrote Johnston..The former governor general said he never questioned Dong since the MP had filed a $15 million libel claim against Global News. .“Mr. Dong, at that time, I think, was proceeding with his own lawsuit and we felt this was something he should get on with,” said Johnston.
