Prime Minister Justin Trudeau described David Johnston as a frequent dinner companion with whom he had “great conversations” in a 2010 radio interview.. David Johnston .On Tuesday, Johnston downplayed his “so-called friendship” with Trudeau as insignificant, according to Blacklock’s Reporter..“We had great conversations around dinner tables around all sorts of things,” Trudeau told CBC Radio in an interview marking Johnston’s 2010 appointment as governor-general. .“I always respected him as a man who was very personable, very real and very, very smart,” Trudeau said at the time..James Fitz-Morris, the CBC reporter who interviewed both Johnston and Justin Trudeau, said in his original broadcast “Pierre Trudeau and Johnston were friends. The families often vacationed together, the three Trudeau boys and five Johnston girls.”.On Wednesday Fitz-Morris, now a political aide said he could not recall the source of his report that the families vacationed together. .“I remember the interview and the story,” said Fitz-Morris. .“I don’t remember where that piece came from.”.Fitz-Morris said he “chatted for a good bit before and after the interview” with Johnston. .“It could have been from that, but I really don’t remember,” said Fitz-Morris..Trudeau dismissed the relationship with a single reference when asked about his friendship with Johnston on Tuesday..“I saw him a few times as a kid,” said Trudeau. .“I got to know him after he was appointed governor-general by Stephen Harper.”.Johnston also stated that he did not have a close relationship with the Trudeaus and remembered that they once parked their car in his condo lot in Quebec's Laurentian Mountains..“These are the facts of the so-called friendship,” said Johnston..“I knew Mr. Trudeau’s father. He had a country home about 50 kilometres away in Val-Morin. On, I think, five occasions over several years, he and his three sons came and parked their car at our parking lot outside our condo and we skied.”.“On one of those five occasions or so, he had to leave early to get back to Montréal, and on that occasion, I drove the three sons over to their mother’s country home, which is about 10 kilometres,” said Johnston. .“Those are the so-called neighbourhoods. My friendship with the current prime minister was based only on a few skiing expeditions with my children.”.The two men were questioned over their friendship after Johnston as the prime minister’s “special rapporteur” absolved Trudeau of any misconduct in handling Canadian Security Intelligence Service memos on activities by Chinese agents. .On Wednesday, Opposition Leader Pierre Poilievre mocked the arrangement..“Trudeau hires him to investigate the interference in the Trudeau Foundation,” Poilievre told reporters. .“David Johnston says, ‘Don’t worry about that, I had someone look into it and make sure I’m not in a conflict of interest.’”.“Who does he hire? His ski buddy, his chalet neighbour, his family friend,” said Poilievre, who has sought a public inquiry into allegations of illegal conduct by Chinese agents. .“We have to put this in the hands of a trusted judge rather than in the hands of Trudeau’s ski buddy.”.On Wednesday, Bloc Québécois leader Yves-François Blanchet said that Johnston's conflict was clear..“I am not taking the word of Mr. Johnston at all,” said Blanchet. .“Even if before we might have said we do not know if he is neutral or not, today we do know he is not.”.“The issue is, what happened?” said Blanchet. .“How can we protect ourselves against such things in the future? Because China won’t stop. Mr. Johnston just said, ‘Go on, enjoy, have fun. Canada is open for you.’”
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau described David Johnston as a frequent dinner companion with whom he had “great conversations” in a 2010 radio interview.. David Johnston .On Tuesday, Johnston downplayed his “so-called friendship” with Trudeau as insignificant, according to Blacklock’s Reporter..“We had great conversations around dinner tables around all sorts of things,” Trudeau told CBC Radio in an interview marking Johnston’s 2010 appointment as governor-general. .“I always respected him as a man who was very personable, very real and very, very smart,” Trudeau said at the time..James Fitz-Morris, the CBC reporter who interviewed both Johnston and Justin Trudeau, said in his original broadcast “Pierre Trudeau and Johnston were friends. The families often vacationed together, the three Trudeau boys and five Johnston girls.”.On Wednesday Fitz-Morris, now a political aide said he could not recall the source of his report that the families vacationed together. .“I remember the interview and the story,” said Fitz-Morris. .“I don’t remember where that piece came from.”.Fitz-Morris said he “chatted for a good bit before and after the interview” with Johnston. .“It could have been from that, but I really don’t remember,” said Fitz-Morris..Trudeau dismissed the relationship with a single reference when asked about his friendship with Johnston on Tuesday..“I saw him a few times as a kid,” said Trudeau. .“I got to know him after he was appointed governor-general by Stephen Harper.”.Johnston also stated that he did not have a close relationship with the Trudeaus and remembered that they once parked their car in his condo lot in Quebec's Laurentian Mountains..“These are the facts of the so-called friendship,” said Johnston..“I knew Mr. Trudeau’s father. He had a country home about 50 kilometres away in Val-Morin. On, I think, five occasions over several years, he and his three sons came and parked their car at our parking lot outside our condo and we skied.”.“On one of those five occasions or so, he had to leave early to get back to Montréal, and on that occasion, I drove the three sons over to their mother’s country home, which is about 10 kilometres,” said Johnston. .“Those are the so-called neighbourhoods. My friendship with the current prime minister was based only on a few skiing expeditions with my children.”.The two men were questioned over their friendship after Johnston as the prime minister’s “special rapporteur” absolved Trudeau of any misconduct in handling Canadian Security Intelligence Service memos on activities by Chinese agents. .On Wednesday, Opposition Leader Pierre Poilievre mocked the arrangement..“Trudeau hires him to investigate the interference in the Trudeau Foundation,” Poilievre told reporters. .“David Johnston says, ‘Don’t worry about that, I had someone look into it and make sure I’m not in a conflict of interest.’”.“Who does he hire? His ski buddy, his chalet neighbour, his family friend,” said Poilievre, who has sought a public inquiry into allegations of illegal conduct by Chinese agents. .“We have to put this in the hands of a trusted judge rather than in the hands of Trudeau’s ski buddy.”.On Wednesday, Bloc Québécois leader Yves-François Blanchet said that Johnston's conflict was clear..“I am not taking the word of Mr. Johnston at all,” said Blanchet. .“Even if before we might have said we do not know if he is neutral or not, today we do know he is not.”.“The issue is, what happened?” said Blanchet. .“How can we protect ourselves against such things in the future? Because China won’t stop. Mr. Johnston just said, ‘Go on, enjoy, have fun. Canada is open for you.’”