Wednesday, May 31, 2023

Up To No Good

Jagmeet Singh has introduced a resolution to remove David Johnston from his role as special rapporteur. Michael Harris writes:

So David Johnston is a hack cashing in on a jammy per diem, the prime minister is a rank manipulator, and the report by a former governor general into alleged Chinese interference in Canadian elections, is just a little back-scratching from one old canoeing buddy to another.

That’s the latest Trudeau trashing coming down the pike, including blow-back from a spoiled brat media that screeched for a public inquiry — only to get a report that said the evidence doesn’t show the Trudeau government allowed or tolerated Chinese interference.

A report that said opposition politicians engaged in an “excessively partisan way” which eroded trust in Canadian institutions.

In the rush to judgment that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was playing footsie with the Chinese government, a lot of people who should have known better forgot something of fundamental importance in the alleged Chinese interference story. Top secret material is at the centre of this dustup.

Why is that important? It means normal rules do not apply. It is against the law to reveal classified information, even to clear up the many misconceptions surrounding this case. And for good reason. Answering these kind of unsourced leaks, even by publicly providing the missing context for them, could reveal sources and methods. In the spy world, that could cost lives.

The result of all this is that there is rising paranoia in the country. The man who hopes to benefit most from this is Pierre Poilievre. His reaction has been interesting:

After slandering and smearing everyone involved in producing Johnston’s report as untrustworthy, conflicted or conniving, he refused to meet with the special rapporteur. He also declined to get the security clearance offered by the PM that would have allowed him to see for himself why Johnston concluded what he did.

The man who insisted on a public inquiry to lay bare the facts of this dubious story simply didn’t want to know them himself. Because perhaps then he would have to deal with another inconvenient truth laid out by Johnston. “The challenge is this: what has allowed me to determine whether there was in fact interference cannot be publicly discussed.” In other words, Poilievre couldn’t proceed with his campaign of innuendo and slander.

The resolution the House is debating is non-binding. But that doesn't mean it's harmless. Beware the fearmongers. They're up to no good.

Image: Outreach Magazine

14 comments:

zoombats said...

"After slandering and smearing everyone involved in producing Johnston’s report as untrustworthy, conflicted or conniving"...

This says it all about Skippy the Brat and the fact that Singh has showed his purely opportunistic side in this charade by pandering to the pissant is telling. Singh could have garnered much more political sting by telling Skippy to F#*k all the way off. Just saying. Zoombats in lovely Drummondville.

Northern PoV said...

Jagmeet knows better.

At least he has not drunk the full dose of kool-aid that Lil'PP and the Pundits have been imbibing.

"Singh says he won't force an election until confidence in the electoral system is restored"

Jagmeet knows better and should be using any influence he has to be pressing Jr. for electoral reform as a condition for on-going support.

Cap said...

Why is Singh giving oxygen to PP's spurious claims that Johnston is in a conflict of interest? Singh claims that the appearance of a conflict of interest is why Johnston's report failed to settle the matter. But Johnston's report recommended that the issue of foreign election interference be further reviewed by the National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians (NSICOP). That committee has members from all parties who are vetted to see classified information, including the NDP's Don Davies and Francis Lankin. In fact, opposition members outnumber Libs, so the Libs can't keep a lid on any adverse findings. Why not wait until the committee reviews things and issues its report?

There is nothing to be gained from a public inquiry that can't be held in public. I don't understand Singh's reasoning at all.

Gordie said...

It should have been made clear at the start that the details of any Chinese interference would not be able to be made public, and why not. Would have saved the government some grief. It's called managing expectations.

Owen Gray said...

I agree, PoV. We have a problem. But whipping up fear is not the way to solve it.

Owen Gray said...

I'm glad you've arrived, zoombats. The Townships are a beautiful part of the country.

Owen Gray said...

Johnston has pointed the way to solving the problem, Cap. What Singh has done is cater to our darker angels.

Owen Gray said...

I agree, Gordie. The nature of intelligence makes a full public inquiry an impossibility.

zoombats said...

Thanks Owen.It's nice to back among the sane. Plus the baguettes are nice as well. What Cap says is right on the money.

lungta said...

The new Canadian chinese finger puzzle
You can know what's in the box but never say
Whatever you do say will never be believed
A live dead issue in an endless loop
Canadian political debate in perpetual paralysis
Governing the country to benefit the people
Never gets to be an issue

Owen Gray said...

We continue to get distracted, lungta.

Owen Gray said...

"The rich and the powerful are directing the chaos." That's where and why we are, Mound. And changing that situation won't be easy.

MoS said...

Now the radical right, aka the National Post, is attacking the Charter. https://www.msn.com/en-ca/news/canada/bruce-pardy-in-canada-courts-mandate-socialism-to-fulfil-charter-rights/ar-AA1bYNVc?ocid=msedgntp&cvid=402160d94d124f29a9ba758b18e1ae43&ei=12&fbclid=IwAR3c6qoByHl3LL--qX7Zkpl4CDoGv55XRP3QxrLclg59KKliRosrAN31SCY

Owen Gray said...

Democracy is the enemy of the wealthy and powerful, Mound. Their agenda is clear and unambiguous.