The special rapporteur who will decide whether or not to conduct a public inquiry into Chinese interference in Canada’s political system should be named “in the coming days or weeks,” Justin Trudeau said on Tuesday.

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“This is an issue we’ve always taken seriously, and that’s why we’re ensuring Canadians’ continued confidence by appointing an independent expert to provide the full picture of the situation regarding national security and interference from Beijing and… other countries in the elections are also being studied,” Trudeau said on Tuesday.

All opposition parties have been calling for a public inquiry into Chinese Communist Party interference in Canadian affairs for several weeks. These parties have even submitted a corresponding motion to a procedural committee.

But NDP leader Jagmeet Singh is ready to give the candidate a chance and see who the government will appoint to the post and what their decision will be.

In contrast, Yves-François Blanchet, leader of the Bloc Québécois, on Tuesday sent a letter to the prime minister reiterating that “it is no longer the job of a special rapporteur to determine whether an ‘investigation’ is needed”.

“The question today is not whether or not a commission of inquiry should be formed following the revelations of Chinese interference in the last two federal elections, but when it will be formed and who will be the commissioner,” writes Mr Blanchet.

“For us the answer is clear, it must be implemented as soon as possible, particularly in a context of uncertainty over the timing of an upcoming election, and the Commissioner must be elected by the House of Communities. It’s about trust in our democracy,” he continues.

For his part, Pierre Poilievre said on the sidelines of a press conference on Tuesday that the Prime Minister’s postponement in recent weeks had created “a lot of distrust” among the population.

“What is Justin Trudeau hiding? If we want to restore trust in our democracy, we must answer these questions and establish transparency,” he said.