Ottawa expands foreign interference consultations, says registry support broad
Global News
The government says it is also beginning new consultations on possible changes to national security laws and procedures to better protect against foreign interference.
Respondents to a public consultation favoured establishing a foreign influence transparency registry, but stressed a need for clarity on how it would work, the federal government said Friday.
A newly released summary of the consultation says participants wanted a registry to appropriately define who has to sign on and to spell out what falls within the scope of covered activities.
Following a flurry of media stories about alleged foreign interference, Public Safety Canada announced a consultation in March on how Canada could implement a foreign influence transparency registry.
States might engage in interference to advance foreign political goals, and can employ people to act on their behalf without disclosing ties to the foreign state.
Some believe that requiring these individuals to formally register with the government they are trying to influence, with the possibility of fines or even prison time for failing to comply, can make such dealings more transparent.
The consultation summary, made public on Friday, says respondents supported both financial and criminal penalties, and “adequate enforcement capabilities” to ensure compliance.
They also emphasized that a registry should, to the extent possible, avoid undue administrative burden for registrants, the summary adds.
While respondents “were overwhelmingly in favour” of establishing a registry, many said it was just one tool of many to counter foreign interference.