'A trap': Opposition rejects Trudeau's security clearance offer to access confidential annex of Johnston report
CTV
The leaders of the two largest federal opposition parties are rejecting Justin Trudeau's invitation to receive security clearances in order to review the confidential annex of special rapporteur David Johnston's report, prompting the prime minister to accuse them of hiding behind 'a veil of ignorance.'
The leaders of the two largest federal opposition parties are rejecting Justin Trudeau's invitation to receive security clearances in order to review the confidential annex of special rapporteur David Johnston's report, prompting the prime minister to accuse them of hiding behind "a veil of ignorance."
On Tuesday, while pointing to the real threat that foreign election interference poses and the need to address some serious intelligence gaps, Johnston recommended against a public inquiry into the federal government's handling of the issue. He instead plans to conduct more forward-looking public hearings.
In making this assessment, he compiled a "confidential annex" that addressed the major interference allegations and relevant intelligence documents that led Johnston to this conclusion.
This special addendum was provided to the prime minister, with the recommendation that it be shared with opposition party leaders, provided they receive the needed top secret security clearance required to review it.
Trudeau said Tuesday that he'd written to his opposition counterparts to start the process of being cleared so they can see the same full picture that he has, but that offer has quickly been rebuffed, with Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre and Bloc Quebecois Leader Yves-Francois Blanchet refusing to pursue reading the secret information.
"It's a trap," Blanchet said Wednesday, speaking to reporters in Ottawa.
While Blanchet said he isn’t taking Johnston's word for anything, he still won't pursue reading the same information himself because he thinks Trudeau is trying to use the offer to essentially silence the opposition party leaders on the issue, because they would be unable to speak publicly about what they learned by gaining access to the classified material.
