During a press release on Monday, Trudeau said that Russian and Chinese entities have attempted to interfere in Canadian democracy, as well as “institutions, businesses, research facilities, or in the daily lives of our citizens.” He also noted that this same interference was noted in 2016 and 2017 in elections in the United States and France.
Today, all political leaders agree that the election outcomes in 2019 and 2021 were not impacted by foreign interference, but even if it didn’t change the results of any of our elections, any interference attempt by any foreign actor is troubling and serious.
Some have argued strongly that a public inquiry is the necessary next step. Some others have pointed out the flaws and challenges of a public inquiry.
That’s why we will ask the independent special rapporteur as one of the first tasks of their mandate to provide the government with the recommendation as to what the appropriate should be, whether it be an inquiry, an investigation, or a judicial review and what the scope of that work may be, and we will abide by their recommendation.
He also called attempted interference something that is “evolving, including with the rise of technology and social media.” Trudeau added that the creation in 2017 of the National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians, was part of the success in fighting foreign interference.
The PM also announced $5.5 million in new spending to “build capacity of civil society organizations to combat disinformation,” and that “disinformation often generated abroad can be a real threat to our elections, and it’s a threat that the federal government cannot combat alone.”
The complete details can be read on the Canadian government’s website:
Canada’s democracy is among the strongest, most stable in the world. Since 2015, the Government of Canada has taken significant action to combat foreign interference, while strengthening our institutions and our democracy, including protecting our elections from foreign threats. Any attack, or attempted attack, on our democracy is unacceptable and something we take very seriously.
Today, the Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, announced further action to combat foreign interference and uphold confidence in our democratic institutions:
- He has asked the National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians (NSICOP) to complete a review to assess the state of foreign interference in federal electoral processes. The NSICOP is well placed to look at foreign interference attempts that occurred in the 43rd and 44th federal general elections, including potential effects on Canada’s democracy and institutions, and have their findings and recommendations reported to Parliament.
- He spoke to the Chair of the National Security and Intelligence Review Agency (NSIRA) about a review of how Canada’s national security agencies handled the threat of foreign interference during the 43rd and 44th federal general elections, specifically around the flow of information from national security agencies to decision makers. Given it is an external and independent body, the NSIRA will appropriately set its own mandate and scope of study in the coming days. Their findings will also be reported to Parliament.
The Prime Minister also announced that in the coming days we will appoint an eminent Canadian to the position of Independent Special Rapporteur, who will have a wide mandate to make expert recommendations on protecting and enhancing Canadians’ faith in our democracy. In the coming weeks, the Independent Special Rapporteur will be responsible for informing the work of the NSIRA and the NSICOP and any other existing processes and investigations that may be carried out by independent bodies like Canada’s Commissioner of Elections and identify gaps that may still remain in the oversight and protection of our democracy. The Independent Special Rapporteur will make public recommendations, which could include a formal inquiry or some other independent review process, and the Government of Canada will abide by the recommendation.
Together, these measures will give us a better understanding of what happened in the last two federal general elections: how foreign governments tried to interfere, how security agencies in Canada responded to the threat of interference, and how the information flowed across government.
The Prime Minister today also announced a series of new measures to take immediate action to combat the threat of foreign interference. The Government of Canada is:
- Launching public consultations later this week 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 often 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.
- Developing a plan to address outstanding recommendations from the NSICOP, the independent assessment of the Protocol (Rosenberg Report), and other reviews on these matters, within the next 30 days.
- Investing $5.5 million to strengthen the capacity of civil society partners to counter disinformation.
Upholding and strengthening our democracy takes constant work. This work transcends any politician and any government because the institutions we put in place must outlive any of us. We will continue to work to strengthen our democratic institutions and ensure our elections remain free and fair for generations to come.
SEE: Google Will Now Begin Blocking News Content From Some Canadians
AUTHOR COMMENTARY
[25] How forcible are right words! but what doth your arguing reprove? [26] Do ye imagine to reprove words, and the speeches of one that is desperate, which are as wind? Job 6:25-26
“Canada’s democracy is among the strongest, most stable in the world – [that’s why we have to keep censoring everyone’s speech, liberty of conscience, and critical thinking so you can think and behave the way we want you to].”
[7] Who goeth a warfare any time at his own charges? who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not of the fruit thereof? or who feedeth a flock, and eateth not of the milk of the flock? [8] Say I these things as a man? or saith not the law the same also? [9] For it is written in the law of Moses, Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn. Doth God take care for oxen? [10] Or saith he it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, this is written: that he that ploweth should plow in hope; and that he that thresheth in hope should be partaker of his hope. (1 Corinthians 9:7-10).
The WinePress needs your support! If God has laid it on your heart to want to contribute, please prayerfully consider donating to this ministry. If you cannot gift a monetary donation, then please donate your fervent prayers to keep this ministry going! Thank you and may God bless you.
I, and a lot of other people, have a much less expensive option: if Castro-Trudeau would simply shut his mouth, that would go far toward shutting down a whole lot of lies & disinformation, plus doing away with a whole lot of hot air toward helping their global warming fairy-tale. Emphasis on ‘fairy’.
No one here in Canada likes you Trudeau, go away already. Your cab’s here. Leave.
Made things a little better typing that, in a shallow sense. But as absolute truth says, the bible, this is spiritual wickedness. So yeah, there are probably 20 more Trudows lined up to replace this……(running out of words to describe these people.)