Statement from Minister Sahota and Minister McGuinty on the Final Report from the Commissioner for the Public Inquiry into Foreign Interference in Federal Electoral Processes and Democratic Institutions

OTTAWA, ON, Jan. 28, 2025 /CNW/ - Today, the Honourable Ruby Sahota, Minister of Democratic Institutions and Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario, and the Honourable David McGuinty, Minister of Public Safety, issued the following statement:

"We extend our gratitude to Commissioner Hogue and her team for their work in producing the Commission's Final Report.

The establishment of this Public Inquiry followed extensive consultation with all political parties, who unanimously agreed to the terms of reference and the appointment of the Commissioner. Over the past year-and-a-half, the Commission reviewed thousands of classified documents, including an unprecedented volume of cabinet confidences, heard countless hours of testimony, and engaged with senior government officials, political leaders, intelligence experts, diaspora communities, and academics. This comprehensive examination of the threat landscape will significantly enhance Canada's capacity to detect, deter, and respond to the evolving dangers of foreign interference in our democratic processes.

The Government of Canada welcomes the Final Report's findings, which reaffirmed that the 2019 and 2021 federal elections were free and fair. However, it is clear that our democracy faces a continuous and escalating threat from foreign actors who seek to undermine our sovereignty and destabilize our institutions.

As Commissioner Hogue emphasized, safeguarding Canadians' trust in our democratic institutions is paramount. The Government will carefully review the Final Report's findings and recommendations and they must guide the government's ongoing efforts to strengthen Canada's defenses against foreign interference.

Democracies around the world are confronting unprecedented threats to their electoral integrity, and Canada is no exception. While our country has long had robust measures to protect our democracy, we must continue adapting to the evolving threat. This Inquiry has shed light on our government's historic efforts to protect Canada from this landscape. This includes initiatives such as the Critical Election Incident Public Protocol (CEIPP), the Security and Intelligence Threats to Elections (SITE) Task Force, the G7 Rapid Response Mechanism, and others?all designed to safeguard future elections from both emerging and entrenched threats.

Today, the Government is taking further action to protect our election integrity with the following investments:

• $44 million starting in 2025-26, and $9.8 million ongoing, for the Office of the Chief Electoral Officer, to ensure a sufficient investigation capacity to protect against persistent threats to the electoral process, such as foreign interference and disinformation
• $27.5 million starting in 2025-26, with a temporary increase of $2 million in 2025-26, for Canadian Heritage's Digital Citizen Initiative to fund projects that build citizen resilience against online disinformation
• $5.95 million starting in 2024-25, for Global Affairs Canada's Rapid Response Mechanism to bolster its capacity to monitor and strengthen defenses of the Canadian open-source information ecosystem and keep Canadians informed of possible foreign interference during the election

Moreover, with the passage of Bill C-70, An Act Respecting Countering Foreign Interference, we are taking significant steps to bolster our defenses against new and insidious forms of foreign meddling. This legislation criminalizes interference activities, enhances information-sharing capabilities, and establishes a Foreign Influence Transparency Registry. Additionally, the government's newly published Mandate Letter for the National Security and Intelligence Advisor strengthens coordination across Canada's national security and intelligence agencies, ensuring a unified response to these growing challenges.

Canadians' trust in our democratic processes is an essential part of our Canadian identity. In a world where the threat of foreign interference is becoming increasingly pervasive, the Government of Canada is resolute in its commitment to defending that trust and protecting our democracy for generations to come."

Associated Links

• Backgrounder: Protecting Canada's Democratic Institutions from Foreign Interference
• The Final Report of the Public Inquiry into Foreign Interference in Federal Electoral Processes and Democratic Institutions by The Honourable Marie-Josée Hogue, Commissioner
• Statement by Minister LeBlanc on the Public Inquiry into Foreign Interference in Federal Electoral Processes and Democratic Institutions (2024-11-15)
• Statement from Minister LeBlanc on the Initial Report from the Commissioner for the Public Inquiry into Foreign Interference in Federal Electoral Processes and Democratic Institutions (2024-05-03)
• Statement by Minister LeBlanc on the Public Inquiry into Foreign Interference in Federal Electoral Processes and Democratic Institutions (2023-12-28) 
• Government of Canada launches public inquiry into foreign interference (2023-09-07)

SOURCE Minister of Democratic Institutions and Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario