5 things we learned from David Johnston's first report on foreign interference

Special rapporteur David Johnston released his first report on foreign interference on Tuesday, which involved analyzing recent media reports on allegations by unnamed national security sources that China meddled in the 2019 and 2021 federal elections.

The former governor general, tapped by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to investigate the issue, said he dug into the validity of that reporting and assessed whether the Liberal government ignored threats or advice from national security agencies.

Johnston ruled out a public inquiry, finding that much of it would have to be held in private due to top-secret information, but promised to hold his own public hearings instead. His final report is due at the end of October.

Here are five things we learned from his first report.

1. There are serious problems with how intelligence is shared

Johnston said he didn't find evidence that cabinet ministers or Trudeau knowingly ignored intelligencebut concluded there needs to be a better flow of informationbetween them.

For example, he said, staff at the Prime Minister's Office told Johnston they're given a large binder in a secure room to review material, with no ability to take notes for security reasons.

The binder contains a significant mix of topics from around the worldbut no one tells PMO staff to concentrate on one topic or another. If staffers are away, they may not see the binder that day.

The prime minister also told Johnston he's only briefed on matters that are supported by reliable information.

2. He accuses some media organizations of misconstruing intelligence

Johnston, who had access to classified documents and intelligence, disputed several Global News and Globe and Mail reports after reviewing associated intelligence in a broader context.

Watch:David Johnston isn't recommending a public inquiry into foreign interference. Here's what he did recommend.:

David Johnston isn't recommending a public inquiry into foreign interference. Here's what he did recommend.

1 year ago

Duration 1:29

David Johnston says foreign interference is a 'real and growing threat' and more needs to be done. But the former governor general says that while a 'public process' is required, a separate 'formal' public inquiry isn't the way forward.

But he said that broader context cannot be shared publicly.

Johnston said he put together a detailed classified annex of what he said actually happened in relation to each media report. That will be provided to the prime minister, members of cabinet andofficials or opposition leaders who are willing to get security clearance.

3. He says there is no intelligence confirmingChinese money reached specific candidates in2019

Media reports have published claims that federal candidates received funds during the 2019 federal election.

"Limited intelligence" supports the notion that the Chinese government intended for funds to reach seven Liberal and four Conservative candidates, Johnston's report said, addingthere is no intelligence suggestingany of them received that money.

Watch:Poilievre questions Johnston's impartiality following decision not to hold public inquiry:

Poilievre questions Johnston's impartiality following decision not to hold public inquiry

1 year ago

Duration 1:47

Conservative Party Leader Pierre Poilievre tells reporters in Quebec City he 'would not be silenced' after David Johnston announced he would not recommend holding a public inquiry on foreign interference and called on opposition leaders to join NSICOP.

Other reportsindicated that a network of candidates and operatives in the Greater Toronto Area were willing participants in the Chinese CommunistParty's goals.

But Johnston said he found "no basis" to conclude that candidates were working in concert or understood the intentions of apparent Chinese government proxies who were communicating with them.

"No recommendation about a network of candidates was made as no network was known to exist," the report said.

4. He found little to support O'Toole's claim that specific candidates were defeated by foreign interference in 2021

After the 2021 federal election concluded, former Conservative leader Erin O'Toole asserted that China had interfered in the electoral process, costing his party eight or nine seats.

Johnston said it's hard to accept this assertion based on his investigation.

He said there's a possibility that some Chinese Canadians disagreed with the Conservative Party's platformbut that's "not interference, it is the democratic process."

Watch:Reporter questions David Johnston about the appearance of a conflict of interest:

Reporter questions David Johnston about the appearance of a conflict of interest

1 year ago

Duration 1:13

David Johnston speaks with reporters about the appearance of a conflict of interest in his role as special rapporteur on foreign interference. The Conservatives have criticized Johnston's appointment as special rapporteur, pointing to his friendship with the Trudeau family and his former position as a member of the Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation.

Johnston's report also threw cold water on the idea that China backed a Liberal minority government result in the 2021 election, as suggested by a Globe and Mail report in February.

Johnston's report said China is generally "party agnostic" and intelligence suggests its intention was to marginalize anti-China candidates rather than favourcertain parties.

5. He says MP Han Dong did not tellconsulate to extend the detention ofKovrig andSpavor

In March, Global News published a story citing unidentified security sources who alleged Liberal MP Han Dong told a Chinese diplomat in February 2021 that releasing Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor would benefit the Conservatives.

The two Canadians had at that time been detained in China since December 2018, just over a week after the RCMP arrested Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou in Vancouver on a U.S. extradition warrant.

Dong resigned from the Liberal caucus to sit as an Independent MP following that report and has filed a lawsuit against Global News for those and other allegations related to Chinese interference.

"The allegation is false," Johnston wrote in his report, saying he came tohis conclusion after reviewing the same intelligence report provided to Trudeau. He addedthe allegation has had an "adverse effect" on Dong.

Johnston said that while Dong maintained "close relationships" with Chinese consular officials at least through the 2021 election, and did discuss the case of Kovrig and Spavor with the Chinese diplomat, "he did not suggest to the official that (China) extend their detention."

A spokeswoman for Global News and Corus Entertainment has said previously that the media organization is "very mindful of the public interest and legal responsibility of this important accountability reporting."