The portrait of the sprawling reach of foreign influence no longer needs to be drawn. Months of revelations and testimonies have woven the story of alarming interference on Canadian soil. Despite everything, a parliamentary committee managed to make a new finding this week that is just as worrying as the previous ones. Which above all reminds us that, while the government is still slow to legislate strong responses, these acts of intimidation are still carried out with virtual impunity.
Over the course of three months of hearings, the Standing Committee on Access to Information, Protection of Personal Information and Ethics notably collected the experiences of members of the Chinese and Uighur diaspora in Canada. The threats from the People’s Republic of China against them are multiple, they recounted: dissidents harassed, tires slashed, passport applications refused, business opportunities derailed, members of the family remained in Asia detained by the authorities.
Interference is also carried out through espionage and disinformation, as well as attempts to influence elites, elected officials or local media in a foreign language. A “real and increasingly insidious threat” to democracy, its institutions, as well as the rights and freedoms of certain Canadians, reiterates the committee.
His report presented on Tuesday could not have come at a better time.
The day before, Global Affairs Canada revealed that a vast “spam” campaign originating from China had targeted dozens of elected officials – including Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre – with thousands of anonymous messages broadcast on their social networks, and accusing them (wrongly, it should be noted) of ethical or downright criminal offenses. The scheme even included videos modified by artificial intelligence.
A campaign reminiscent of those carried out against other deputies last spring. But now of a technological complexity even more difficult to counter, in this new parallel reality created by hyper-rigged videos.
Last week, it was the heads of the intelligence agencies gathered within the Five Eyes group who united publicly to alert the West of the danger posed by the Chinese regime’s industrial espionage. An “unprecedented” event, to confront an unprecedented threat”, summarized the head of the FBI, Christopher Wray, alongside the Canadian, American, British, Australian and New Zealand directors.
However, the Trudeau government is still languishing in taking inspiration from these allies and taking a step demanded by all: the creation of a register of foreign agents.
The parliamentary committee makes this one of its recommendations. The Liberals have been working on this since last March. Consultations ended in May. Since then: nothing. At most, the government repeats that the register remains “a priority”… While in addition to Beijing’s documented interference efforts, Mr. Trudeau accuses agents linked to the government of India, who allegedly participated in the assassination of a Sikh leader on Canadian soil.
It would be enough to draw inspiration from the American, Australian or even British register models, which, like a lobbying register, require the registration of anyone acting in the country on behalf of a government or a State. stranger. Former Clerk of the Privy Council Michael Wernick spoke of it as “a matter of months”… last April.
The Trudeau government would, however, like to take the opportunity to legislate at the same time on other measures aimed at combating and sanctioning foreign interference. The parliamentary committee also recommends adding provisions to the Criminal Code. “It suits me if we take some time. “Wasting time doesn’t suit me,” so well summed up Bloc leader René Villemure, who, exasperated, will himself table a bill aimed at creating this famous register.
The liberal wait-and-see attitude was already inexplicable last spring. With fall now well underway, it has become unacceptable.
Meanwhile, the public inquiry that Mr. Trudeau took seven months to order is barely getting underway, so Judge Marie-Josée Hogue only has five more months to prepare an interim report. Had it not been for the regrettable interlude of former Special Rapporteur David Johnston, an investigation begun from the start could have been almost completed, since the latter’s mandate was due to end these days.
Rather than prolong its inaction on this issue for even more weeks for no reason, the government should act once and for all, in stages. Starting with the creation of a register of foreign agents. Reflection, consultations and procrastination can no longer continue.