(Ottawa) Unlike Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, who questioned in a sardonic letter whether former Governor General David Johnston had the independence required to fulfill his mandate as special rapporteur on Chinese interference, Justin Trudeau assured that he had no doubts about it.

“I continue to have faith in him,” the Prime Minister said at a press conference in Winnipeg on Wednesday, when asked if David Johnston’s membership in the Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation might raise questions about his ability to do their job.

Because “he is an irreproachable man with the capacity and the dedication” making him “the perfect person to look at these complicated issues of interference within our political system”, he argued at the microphone.

In his response in English, he denounced the “sarcasm” displayed by the Leader of the Official Opposition regarding these “serious issues”, an attitude that “does no credit” either to him or to questions about the foreign interference.

In the morning, Pierre Poilievre posted a brief letter to David Johnston on social media, using quotation marks for his title “Rapporteur”.

“Explain this: How are you going to investigate Beijing’s donation to the Trudeau Foundation while you were part of the Trudeau Foundation? I await your response,” reads the missive, which is signed by the chief but does not contain a specific address.

Prime Minister Trudeau has given David Johnston the mandate to determine whether or not a public inquiry into foreign interference in the elections should be launched. The former governor general has until May 23 to make his recommendations.

Another blow hit Justin Trudeau on Tuesday as eight board members, four senior executives and six mentors resigned from the Foundation en masse over major “ethics” issues. by the “Chinese donation” made to the foundation in 2016 and 2017.

Although the reason given by the Foundation in the official statement is the “politicization” of the donation from China, La Presse was able to confirm with five people who left their positions that it is an internal crisis that is at stake. origin of these wholesale resignations.

The Prime Minister reiterated Wednesday that he was no longer involved with the Foundation that bears his father’s name since his election as leader of the Liberal Party in 2013. Could the organization abandon the name Trudeau to return to nine ?

That’s up to them, replied Justin Trudeau, “I know there are thoughts and questions going on right now, but it’s the Foundation itself that needs to be responsible for answering and to figure out how to move forward.