Foreign Influence Registry ‘Coming Soon,’ Says Public Safety Minister

Minister of Public Safety Dominic LeBlanc speaks at a news conference on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, on Sept. 7, 2023. (The Canadian Press/Justin Tang)

A foreign influence registry could be “coming soon” according to statements made by Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc after months of delays regarding legislation.

Minister LeBlanc spoke ahead of a cabinet meeting on April 30, telling reporters, “good news is it’s coming soon. I know it’s very exciting. It’s coming soon.”

He added that the federal government was looking at how to modernize the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) Act in order to give the intelligence agency various related authorities.

“This is part of our ongoing effort to strengthen legislation with respect to foreign interference,” Minister LeBlanc said.

Talk of creating a foreign influence registry has been ongoing for months, with legislation to deal with foreign interference pushed back in November of last year as the federal government announced it would be seeking additional consultations on what changes may be required to the CSIS Act and the Criminal Code.

The foreign influence registry proposal, if enacted, would force individuals acting on behalf of a foreign state to disclose their ties, a policy that has existed in countries like the United States and Australia for years.

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The RCMP stated in a 2023 ministerial briefing document that a registry would be a “valuable” tool in combatting foreign interference.

“A foreign agent registry would be valuable for Canadians as a registrable activity would ensure foreign actors undertaking certain activities are operating in the interests of the Canadian public,” the RCMP said.

Senator Leo Housakos had introduced legislation to establish a registry in the Canadian Senate in 2022 but the bill has stalled. Bill S-237 would create a publicly viewable foreign influence registry, and any foreign-backed agent who fails to declare any interaction with a public office holder could face potential prison time of up to two years or fines of up to $200,000.

Public Safety Canada has also noted there is “broad support” among Canadians to create a foreign influence registry, with a note published in October of last year saying that the department had heard positive reactions from the public regarding the proposal.

The note also acknowledged the problems with foreign agents and entities being able to exploit the democratic system and legal system in Canada in to advance the interests of other states.

“Unclear labelling of state-backed communications can produce public or media messaging that reinforces interests of adversarial states and circulates propaganda or disinformation that could either misdirect citizens or pollute the general media and information environment,” the note said.

On April 30, the Canadian Coalition for a Foreign Influence Transparency Registry, an association of groups from vulnerable multicultural communities in Canada, held a press conference calling for a the immediate creation of a foreign influence registry.

“The Inquiry into Foreign Interference has clearly demonstrated the vulnerability of our democracy, and multicultural communities to the threat of foreign interference, intimidation and transnational repression,” the coalition’s convenor Gloria Fung said in a release.

The Foreign Interference Commission, which began in September of last year to address concerns regarding foreign interference in the past two federal elections by Beijing, is expected to release an interim report on May 3 and a final report at the end of the year.

CSIS Director David Vigneault told the inquiry earlier this month that Canada has been slower than its allies in countering foreign interference, who have influence registries. A CSIS document disclosed at the inquiry also states there are no legal or political consequences for those conducting foreign influence operations in Canada.