Senator Batters: There was not even close to an answer there. But wait, there is more. The special rapporteur’s entourage has grown even bigger and more expensive. To counter questions about his close ties to Prime Minister Trudeau, Trudeau Foundation member Johnston hired another Trudeau Foundation alumnus, Frank Iacobucci, to give him an independent legal opinion. And, wouldn’t you know it, Iacobucci works at the Torys law firm too?

The Special Rapporteur has also employed the elite public relations firm Navigator, which specializes in crisis communications. And since that wasn’t enough pricey public relations help, Johnston hired another communications company, RKESTRA, for media relations support. I wonder which of his high-priced help advised Johnston to leave the words “Trudeau Foundation” out of his 55-page report.

Senator Gold, instead of spending all this taxpayers’ money trying to crisis-manage his way out of the mess Prime Minister Trudeau created, when will his Special Rapporteur listen to the people of Canada, as expressed by the majority of MPs, and step down?

Hon. Denise Batters: Senator Gold, the only dollar figure Prime Minister Trudeau actually revealed in his Special Rapporteur’s mandate was David Johnston’s $1,600 daily fee. Now we are learning just how expensive “special rapporteuring” can be. Johnston has decided he needs an entire entourage to help him. He hired high-powered lawyer Sheila Block. This major Liberal Party donor and “the team she led at Torys” helped Johnston interview more than 50 people. Bay Street law firm Torys is one of the largest and most expensive law firms in Canada.

Now, Senator Gold, my legal career was in Saskatchewan, not on Bay Street, but I do know that kind of help would rack up a ton of sky-high billable hours. How much are all those legal fees costing Canadian taxpayers?

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): Thank you for your question. Former Governor General David Johnston was given a task by this government to inquire into the serious issue of foreign interference. He has been subjected to the most odious character assassination and has had his integrity impugned time and time again. In my 72 years on this earth, I have never seen such an attack orchestrated and sustained by a political party, by an opposition that has taken rhetoric to such depths. In that regard, I think that if the former governor general felt the need to defend his integrity and to make sure that the job he was doing could be done in an appropriate way for the benefit of Canadians, then his decision is something the government is prepared to support.