No public inquiry on foreign interference: Why not? What happens now?

David Johnston, Independent Special Rapporteur on Foreign Interference, presents his first report in Ottawa on May 23, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick

By Analysis by The Big Story Podcast

Posted May 24, 2023 7:15 am.

In today’s Big Story podcast, special rapporteur David Johnston’s report on foreign interference was released on May 23. The report ruled out the call for public inquiry into Chinese government interference in Canadian democracy and elections.

The decision was just one of the takeaways, despite the controversy dominating federal politics in recent months.

Stephen Maher, reporter and writer on foreign interference at The Walrus, says, “There are serious questions about how we got to this to this point, and no clear path to getting answers.”

So, why did Johnston decide the public inquiry wouldn’t — or couldn’t — happen? What did we learn from the report he presented? What will the next few months bring? Will there be more hearings?

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