Special Rapporteur David Johnston ruled this week that there was no need for a public inquiry into Chinese interference in Canada. If no one questions the latter’s impressive track record, experts still believe that Justin Trudeau was ill-advised to choose him because of his past ties, both with the Chinese regime and with the family of the Prime Minister. Was Mr. Johnston really the best person to give this mandate to, among nearly 40 million Canadians? Our Bureau of Investigation has identified eight cases where the former Governor General had close ties to China and the Trudeaus.
1. Considered a “friend of China” by Xi Jinping
In 2013 and 2017, David Johnston met personally with Chinese President Xi Jinping as Governor General of Canada. Ironically, just as a meeting was taking place in 2017, the writer Liu Xiaobo, Nobel Peace Prize 2010, died in prison. Arrested in 2008 by the Chinese authorities, Liu was awarded the prize for his “sustainable and non-violent efforts for human rights in China”. “He died while Mr. Johnston and Mr. Xi were exchanging pleasantries,” said the Globe and Mail. Xi Jinping refers to Mr. Johnston as an old friend of the Chinese people. “It’s wonderful to be back in China. I feel that I have come back home,” Mr. Johnston is quoted as saying.
POOL/AFP via Getty Images
2. Honorary doctorate awarded by an official of the Communist Party of China
In 2012, David Johnston received an honorary doctorate from Nanjing University, in particular for his role in establishing a Confucius Institute at the University of Waterloo and another institute on China at the University. McGill University. According to a report published by state media China Network Television at the time, the award was presented to him by Hong Yinxing, secretary of the party committee. [communiste chinois] at Nanjing University. “Before becoming governor, you visited China more than 10 times and spared no effort to promote cooperation between universities of the two countries,” also congratulated a former Chinese ambassador to Canada, Zhang Junsai. , as reported at the time.
Sgt Ronald Duchesne, Rideau Hall
3. Confucius Institute
In 2006, when he was president of the University of Waterloo in Ontario, David Johnston was one of the driving forces behind the establishment of a Confucius Institute linked to the Chinese state in an affiliated college. If the Confucius Institutes were first perceived as benign organizations promoting Chinese culture abroad, the reality is quite different, according to former Canadian ambassador to China Guy Saint-Jacques. “It goes much further […] [Le gouvernement chinois] uses this to shut down any discussion of what he considers to be the five poisons of Tibet, Taiwan, Xinjiang, Falun Gong and the promotion of democracy in China,” he said.
4. Canada-China Business Council
In 2013, David Johnston delivered the keynote address at the Annual General Meeting of the Canada-China Business Council in Beijing. This organization brings together Chinese and Canadian companies, including the controversial firm Huawei. It was founded by the Desmarais family and aims to develop business between Canada and China. David Johnston presents in his speech Paul Desmarais (father), the former boss of Power Corporation (which has interests in China), as a friend. Sino-Canadian economic and cultural relations are described in dithyrambic terms and as being called upon to develop significantly in the years to come.
- Listen to Mario Dumont’s interview with Jean-François Cloutier, journalist at the Quebecor Bureau of Investigation via QUB-radio :
5. His children in China
Three of David Johnston’s daughters studied at Chinese universities. “They learned a lot, made many friends, and shared their appreciation for Chinese culture and language with their loved ones,” he told the Canada-China Business Council.
6. Trudeau Foundation
David Johnston is a member of the Trudeau Foundation, which in recent months has found itself at the heart of a scandal in connection with an announced donation of $200,000 by two Chinese businessmen, including one close to the Communist Party. Several media have reported many problems with this donation, including the fact that the Chinese government would be the real initiator. It was officially done by a Dorval firm, but the receipt was made out to an address in Hong Kong. The donation to the Foundation would have been discussed in a context where the Liberals of Justin Trudeau could take power.
Trudeau Foundation website
7. Rideau Hall Foundation
After his term as Governor General, David Johnston established the Rideau Hall Foundation, of which he is President. We can see on the board of directors of this foundation several figures reputed to be close to China, as reported by the National Post. Among them, Dominic Barton (ex-manager of McKinsey and ex-Canadian ambassador to China), Paul Desmarais III (Canada-China Business Council), John Manley (minister under Jean Chrétien), Beverley McLachlin (judge in Hong Kong) and John Montalbano (director of a subsidiary of the Royal Bank managing the acquisition of natural resources abroad for a Chinese fund).
8. Trudeau Family Friend
David Johnston is a longtime personal friend of the Trudeau family. Pierre Elliott Trudeau’s children, including Justin Trudeau, skied with Mr. Johnston’s in Mont-Tremblant when the prime minister was still a child, according to a 2016 CTV report. also that his grandchildren meet those of Mr. Trudeau at Rideau Hall Park, the Trudeau family living next to the Governor General’s house. In a 2010 CBC interview, Justin Trudeau referred to David Johnston as a frequent dinner companion with whom he had great conversations.
what they think
“In cases like these, perception is more important than reality. […] Unfortunately, over the last few months, I think trust in Mr. Johnston has been really affected due to the disclosure of his ties to Mr. Trudeau and his family” – Artur Wilczynsky, foreign policy and security and intelligence expert (University of ‘Ottawa).
“I would have seen Judge Louise Arbor [comme rapporteure spéciale]. I would have had great confidence […] Mr. Trudeau could have chosen to appoint someone who was critical [de la Chine]– Guy Saint-Jacques, former Canadian Ambassador to China.
“Johnston is a wise and experienced person, but his wisdom and experience led him in this case to place a higher value on stability than on an unpleasant and possibly disruptive truth” – David Mulroney, ex-ambassador from Canada to China.
With the collaboration of Yves Lévesque.
