Justin Trudeau to appoint special rapporteur to probe foreign interference in elections
GuardianMAY 2023
Trudeau's appointment of an "independent" special rapporteur is nothing more than an attempt to buy more time. There's no obligation for the prime minister to act on any recommendations, and the decision takes the pressure off Trudeau for the weeks to come. Having repeatedly attempted to shrug off the issue, this move is nothing but damage control instead of objective action — unsurprising, considering Trudeau's liberal government stood to benefit the most from China's alleged interference.
The ultimate question for Trudeau is whether he has done or will do everything he can to maintain trust in Canadian democracy. Appointing an independent investigator is a step in this direction. While it's fair to ask whether the government has so far responded correctly — just as it's fair to question the credibility of the media reports — using obscure data to make allegations of a government coverup is unacceptable.
Trudeau's popularity is on the decline, and this has led to the common Western practice of summoning imaginary accusations against China to divert the public's attention from Canada's own failings. The "China interference" claims are absurd — as are Trudeau's investigations — and shouldn't be taken seriously.