David Johnston resigning as special rapporteur on foreign interference | CBC News

David Johnston — tasked by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau back in March with looking into allegations that China tried to meddle in the past two federal elections — says he has decided to step down from that role.

In a resignation letter sent to Trudeau, Johnston said his role has become too muddled in political controversy for him to continue.

“When I undertook the task of independent special rapporteur on foreign interference, my objective was to help build trust in our democratic institutions,” the former governor general wrote.

“I have concluded that, given the highly partisan atmosphere around my appointment and work, my leadership has had the opposite effect.”

Since his appointment, Johnston has been accused of being unfit for the job because of his personal connections to Trudeau.

The leaders of the Conservative and Bloc Québécois parties have both said Trudeau and Johnston are self-declared friends and their longstanding ties are too close to allow Johnston to judge the prime minister’s actions.

Johnston has said that while he was friends with Pierre Trudeau and skied with the Trudeau family back when Justin Trudeau and his brothers were children, he hasn’t had any meetings, dinners or personal contacts with Trudeau in the past 40 years.

WATCH | Johnston says he doesn’t regret taking on role

David Johnston says he doesn’t regret taking on foreign interference assignment

‘When you’re asked to serve your country, you do so,” Johnston says in an exclusive interview with Power and Politics host David Cochrane.

That didn’t stop opposition parties from questioning Johnston’s investigation of foreign interference. Even the NDP — which currently has a supply-and-confidence deal with the governing Liberals — put forward a motion in the House calling on Johnston to step aside because of an “appearance of bias.” The motion passed with Conservative and Bloc support.

In his initial report released last month, Johnston recommended against calling a public inquiry on foreign interference — despite opposition parties and diaspora groups calling for one.

Questions also have been raised about who Johnston chose to work with during his investigation.

On Tuesday, the Globe and Mail reported that Sheila Block, a lawyer Johnston hired to assist with his work, has donated to the Liberal Party in the past.

Johnston also told the procedure and House affairs committee on Tuesday that he has received unpaid informal advice from Don Guy, former chief of staff to former Ontario Liberal premier Dalton McGuinty, and Brian Topp, chief of staff to Rachel Notley when she was the NDP premier of Alberta.

Read Johnston’s resignation letter:

CBC also reported last week that Johnston had hired communications crisis firm Navigator at the start of his mandate and that taxpayers were footing the bill.

Johnston cut ties with the firm after it was revealed that Navigator had also worked with Independent MP Han Dong, who was a subject of the former governor general’s initial investigation and report.

In his resignation letter, Johnston insisted that he doesn’t think a public inquiry would be a “useful way” to address foreign interference, given that much of the intelligence associated with the issue is classified. But he called on Trudeau to appoint a new rapporteur. 

“Ideally, you would consult with opposition parties to identify suitable candidates to lead this effort,” he wrote.

Johnston was set to begin public hearings next month. In his letter, he calls for those to continue under new leadership.

The letter says he will be stepping down no later than the end of June after delivering a brief final report.