Canadian appointee: Reports of China interference too sensitive for public inquiry

By ROB GILLIES
Associated Press

TORONTO (AP) — The man charged with recommending how to deal with leaked intelligence reports that China interfered in Canada’s federal election says that the leaked material is too sensitive for a public inquiry. Opposition parties have demanded a full public inquiry on the alleged Chinese interference since a report about it earlier this year by the Globe and Mail newspaper. It cited unidentified intelligence sources that China preferred to see Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Liberals re-elected in the 2021 election and worked to defeat Conservative politicians considered unfriendly to Beijing. Trudeau appointee David Johnston announced recommendations Tuesday saying that a public inquiry into the leaked materials could not take place because of the sensitivity of the intelligence.