Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has announced the mandate of the Independent Special Rapporteur, David Johnston, whose appointment was announced on March 15, 2023, as part of a suite of measures to help protect the integrity of Canada’s democracy. This follows work with Mr. Johnston to finalize his mandate for the role.
As Independent Special Rapporteur, Mr. Johnston is being tasked with assessing the extent and impact of foreign interference in Canada’s electoral processes, including by examining information related to the 2019 and 2021 federal elections to determine what the government did to defend Canada against electoral interference. Building on the work of the National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians (NSICOP) and the National Security and Intelligence Review Agency (NSIRA), he will identify any outstanding issues requiring attention, with a view to uphold Canadians’ confidence in our democratic institutions and electoral processes. Mr. Johnston is to recommend any additional mechanisms or transparent processes, such as a formal public inquiry, he deems necessary to reinforce Canadians’ confidence in the integrity of our democratic institutions by May 23, 2023. Additionally, he will identify innovative approaches and improvements in the way public agencies work together to combat foreign interference in our electoral processes.
Mr. Johnston will submit regular reports to the Prime Minister, which will also be shared with Leaders of the Opposition and made available to Canadians. To fulfill this mandate, he will be given complete access to any relevant records and documents, classified or unclassified. He will consult and work with institutions, agencies, and officials across the federal government – including the Communications Security Establishment, the Canadian Security Intelligence Service, the Privy Council Office, and Elections Canada – as well as political parties represented in the House of Commons. He is expected to complete his review by October 31, 2023.
The Government of Canada will continue to work to safeguard our electoral processes, protect them from foreign interference, and enhance Canadians’ faith in our democracy, now and for future generations. Canada is and will remain one of the strongest and most stable democracies in the world.
“Canadians should have confidence in the democratic systems that serve them. As Independent Special Rapporteur, Mr Johnston will play a crucial role in reinforcing the integrity of and upholding Canadians’ confidence in our democratic processes, and I look forward to receiving his recommendations on how we can keep taking steps to ensure Canada is protected against any attempts at undermining our democracy.” – Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada