Government of Canada announces measures to protect by-elections from foreign interference

OTTAWA, ON, July 29, 2024 /CNW/ - Today, the Honourable Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions, and Intergovernmental Affairs, announced that moving forward, the measures brought in to protect recent by-elections from any potential foreign interference will be applied to all future by-elections, ensuring Canadians can continue to have confidence in the strength and the resilience of our democracy.

This means that the Security and Intelligence Threats to Elections (SITE) Task Force will not only provide enhanced monitoring and assessment of foreign interference threats during general elections, but also during all by-election periods. While the general procedures and enhanced monitoring process will remain the same for each by-election, the SITE Task Force continuously adapts its work in response to its findings as well as new and evolving threats and technology.

These measures will apply to the upcoming by-elections for the LaSalle–Émard–Verdun, as well as Elmwood-Transcona electoral districts, which will both be held on September 16, 2024.

The assessments produced by the SITE Task Force will be provided to the Deputy Minister Committee on Intelligence Response, which will stand ready to brief and advise ministers with mandates to combat foreign interference and protect Canada's democratic institutions.

Lines of communications continue to be opened with designated representatives of political parties to ensure engagement, should it become necessary over the course of the by-election period.

SITE will also produce both a classified and an unclassified report consisting of the Task Force's assessment of any attempts at foreign interference identified during the by-elections. The classified report will be made available to the Prime Minister, relevant ministers, as well as to the National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians, and identified representatives of the parties with appropriate security clearances.

These measures are in line with the Government of Canada's commitment to keeping Canadians informed about foreign interference in Canada. Building upon the Plan to Protect Canada's Democracy, the Government of Canada continues to defend Canada's democracy against interference and uphold Canadians' confidence in our institutions.

Quote

"Our government is committed to protecting our democracy and combatting attempts to interfere with our democratic processes and institutions. The enhanced monitoring and assessment provided by the SITE Task Force is another tool in toolbox to safeguard our elections from malicious actors."

– The Honourable Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions, and Intergovernmental Affairs

Quick Facts

• The Security and Intelligence Threats to Elections (SITE) Task Force was established as part of the government's Plan to Protect Canada's Democracy in 2019. It is composed of the Canadian Security Intelligence Service, the Communications Security Establishment, Global Affairs Canada, and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.
• On March 6, 2023, the Government of Canada announced a series of measures to take further action on foreign interference and strengthen Canadians' confidence in our democracy. Other measures included:
  • asking the National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians (NSICOP) to complete a review of the state of foreign interference in federal electoral processes. NSICOP's Special Report on Foreign Interference in Canada's Democratic Processes and Institutions was tabled on June 3, 2024;
  • asking the National Security and Intelligence Review Agency (NSIRA) to complete a review of how Canada's national security agencies handled the threat of foreign interference during the 43rd and 44th federal general elections. NSIRA's review was tabled on May 27, 2024;
  • launching public consultations to guide the creation of a Foreign Influence Transparency Registry in Canada to ensure transparency and accountability from people who advocate on behalf of a foreign government and ensure communities who are targeted by attempts at foreign interference are protected;
  • establishing a new National Counter Foreign Interference Coordinator in Public Safety Canada to coordinate efforts to combat foreign interference; and
  • investing $5.5 million to create the Canadian Digital Media Research Network, which will further strengthen Canadians' information resilience by researching how quality of information, including disinformation narratives, impacts Canadians' attitudes and behaviours and by supporting strategies for Canadians' digital literacy.
• On April 6, 2023, the Honourable Dominic LeBlanc, then Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, Infrastructure and Communities, and Janice Charette, former Clerk of the Privy Council and Secretary to the Cabinet, delivered a report to the Prime Minister entitled Countering an Evolving Threat: Update on Recommendations to Counter Foreign Interference in Canada's Democratic Institutions.
• The Security and Intelligence Threats to Elections (SITE) Task Force provided enhanced monitoring and assessing of foreign interference threats for the five by-elections held in 2023, as well as the Durham and Toronto-St. Paul's by-elections in 2024.

Associated Links

• Government of Canada provides update on recommendations to combat foreign interference
• Protecting democracy
• Security and Intelligence Threats to Elections Task Force - Threats to the Canadian Federal By-elections - June 2023
• Security and Intelligence Threats to Elections Task Force - Threats to the Canadian Federal By-elections - July 2023
• Security and Intelligence Threats to Elections Task Force – Threats to the Canadian Federal By-elections – Durham March 2024

Stay Connected

https://www.canada.ca/en/democratic-institutions.html 

SOURCE Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental Affairs

For more information (media only), please contact: Jean-Sébastien Comeau, Deputy Director of Communications, Office of the Honourable Dominic LeBlanc, Minister Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental Affairs, 343-574-8116, [email protected]; Media Relations, Privy Council Office, 613-957-5420, [email protected]