David Johnston says a formal public inquiry is not needed, as he released his first report on foreign interference.
The former Governor General says he dug into the validity of recent media reports on allegations by unnamed national security sources that China meddled in the 2019 and 2021 federal elections. Johnston has access to classified documents and intelligence for the investigation, and accuses some media organizations of misconstruing intelligence due to a lack of context.
As one of the recommendations from the report, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says he has sent letters to opposition leaders offering them the security clearance needed to view additional classified information. Johnston says a full inquiry into foreign meddling cannot be undertaken in public because of the sensitivity of the intelligence involved, but he plans to hold public hearings later this year.
