Canada to Launch Foreign Influence Registry This Fall, Public Safety Minister Says
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A foreign influence registry aimed at combating foreign interference in Canada and mandated by legislation passed more than a year ago is expected to be established this fall, Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree says.
The minister told CBC News in a recent interview that the government is currently vetting candidates for the role of foreign interference transparency commissioner, who will administer and enforce legislation requiring individuals acting on behalf of foreign states to disclose their ties.
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That information would be held in a foreign influence transparency registry and made freely accessible to the public across all Canadian jurisdictions.
Senior Public Safety Canada officials had previously said the registry would likely be ready in June this year, but in July said they were still working on its implementation and did not provide a timeline, describing it as a “significant undertaking.”
Anandasangaree said he plans to present commissioner candidates to opposition parties for consultation before Parliament resumes on Sept. 15, with the registry expected to be in place by Oct. 13, Thanksgiving Day.
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“We put the world on notice that Canada is an independent, sovereign nation with a clear ability to ensure the safety and security of Canadians. And any attempts that circumvents or undermines that principle, we will take action,” Anandasangaree told CBC.
The registry would operate under the Foreign Influence Transparency and Accountability Act (FITAA), introduced as part of Bill C-70, “An Act respecting countering foreign interference.” The bill received royal assent in June 2024.
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The legislation was prompted by findings from a public inquiry into foreign interference in Canada’s democracy. An interim report released May 3, 2024, found that foreign interference likely occurred in the 2019 and 2021 federal elections, with Commissioner Justice Marie-Josée Hogue saying in her final report that the interference ultimately did not alter the outcome of the elections. The inquiry identified Beijing as “the most persistent and sophisticated foreign interference threat to Canada.”
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The Conservatives have called on the federal government to swiftly implement the registry, with Tory MP Michael Cooper saying that Canada has “become a playground for foreign interference.” Human rights groups have also been pressing Ottawa to establish the registry, citing the escalation of transnational repression affecting diaspora communities in Canada.
“Transnational repression is not theoretical–it’s happening in Canada right now,” said Sarah Teich, spokesperson for the Human Rights Coalition, in an April 22 press release. “Authoritarian governments harass, monitor, and coerce individuals on Canadian soil.”
Gloria Fung, co-convenor of the Canadian Coalition for a Foreign Influence Transparency Registry, recently told The Epoch Times that the delay in establishing the registry was “troubling and disappointing,” and that its implementation is essential to effectively combating threats from foreign actors.
“We can’t afford to further delay our action in combating [transnational repression] and foreign interference,” she said.
Meanwhile, Anandasangaree said in his recent interview that fighting transnational repression and foreign interference in Canada “is an utmost priority of the prime minister.”
“As we talk about the strength of Canada, the sovereignty that we’re proud of, that we will never be a state of another country, I think it’s more important that we tell the world and we amplify this message: that Canada is not a place where you can come and interfere with the civil and human rights of Canadian citizens,” he said.
Under the FITAA, individuals found in violation could face prosecution and penalties, including fines of up to $5 million or up to five years in prison.
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