Former governor general David Johnston, who was appointed special rapporteur on foreign interference, will have access to all national security records and documents, Ottawa said on April 5.
Johnston will submit before May 23 an interim report advising on whether to launch a public inquiry, the federal government said.
Johnston’s appointment was a response to reports of alleged Chinese interference in Canadian elections, first covered by The Globe and Mail in late February.
A subsequent report from Global News said MP Han Dong allegedly assisted China’s efforts to sway Canadian elections.
Dong resigned from the Liberal caucus in late March, after another report from Global News said he allegedly advised Chinese diplomats to delay the release of Michael Spavor and Michael Kovrig, who had been detained by Beijing since December 2018.
Dong said on Twitter on March 31 his lawyers have served a libel notice on Global News, its Editor-in-Chief Sonia Verma and several other reporters including Sam Cooper, as well as its owner, Corus Entertainment.
Here is a look at how a report from The Globe and Mail sparked debates among Canadian politicians about Chinese interference.