OTTAWA,
ON, July 29, 2024 /CNW/ - Today, the
Honourable Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of Public Safety,
Democratic Institutions, and Intergovernmental Affairs, announced
that moving forward, the measures brought in to protect recent
by-elections from any potential foreign interference will be
applied to all future by-elections, ensuring Canadians can continue
to have confidence in the strength and the resilience of our
democracy.
This means that the Security and Intelligence Threats to
Elections (SITE) Task Force will not only provide enhanced
monitoring and assessment of foreign interference threats during
general elections, but also during all by-election periods. While
the general procedures and enhanced monitoring process will remain
the same for each by-election, the SITE Task Force continuously
adapts its work in response to its findings as well as new and
evolving threats and technology.
These measures will apply to the upcoming by-elections for the
LaSalle–Émard–Verdun, as well as Elmwood-Transcona electoral districts, which will both
be held on September 16, 2024.
The assessments produced by the SITE Task Force will be provided
to the Deputy Minister Committee on Intelligence Response, which
will stand ready to brief and advise ministers with mandates to
combat foreign interference and protect Canada's democratic institutions.
Lines of communications continue to be opened with designated
representatives of political parties to ensure engagement, should
it become necessary over the course of the by-election period.
SITE will also produce both a classified and an unclassified
report consisting of the Task Force's assessment of any attempts at
foreign interference identified during the by-elections. The
classified report will be made available to the Prime Minister,
relevant ministers, as well as to the National Security and
Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians, and identified
representatives of the parties with appropriate security
clearances.
These measures are in line with the Government of Canada's commitment to keeping Canadians
informed about foreign interference in Canada. Building upon the Plan to Protect
Canada's Democracy, the Government of Canada continues to defend Canada's democracy against interference and
uphold Canadians' confidence in our institutions.
Quote
"Our government is committed to protecting our democracy and
combatting attempts to interfere with our democratic processes and
institutions. The enhanced monitoring and assessment provided by
the SITE Task Force is another tool in toolbox to safeguard our
elections from malicious actors."
– The Honourable Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of Public Safety,
Democratic Institutions, and Intergovernmental Affairs
Quick Facts
- The Security and Intelligence Threats to Elections (SITE) Task
Force was established as part of the government's Plan to Protect
Canada's Democracy in 2019. It is composed of the Canadian Security
Intelligence Service, the Communications Security Establishment,
Global Affairs Canada, and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.
- On March 6, 2023, the Government
of Canada announced a series of
measures to take further action on foreign interference and
strengthen Canadians' confidence in our democracy. Other measures
included:
- asking the National Security and Intelligence Committee of
Parliamentarians (NSICOP) to complete a review of the state of
foreign interference in federal electoral processes. NSICOP's
Special Report on Foreign Interference in Canada's Democratic Processes and
Institutions was tabled on June 3,
2024;
- asking the National Security and Intelligence Review Agency
(NSIRA) to complete a review of how Canada's national security agencies handled
the threat of foreign interference during the 43rd and 44th federal
general elections. NSIRA's review was tabled on May 27, 2024;
- launching public consultations 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 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; and
- investing $5.5 million
to create the Canadian Digital Media Research Network, which
will further strengthen Canadians' information resilience by
researching how quality of information, including disinformation
narratives, impacts Canadians' attitudes and behaviours and by
supporting strategies for Canadians' digital literacy.
- On April 6, 2023, the Honourable
Dominic LeBlanc, then Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs,
Infrastructure and Communities, and Janice
Charette, former Clerk of the Privy Council and Secretary to
the Cabinet, delivered a report to the Prime Minister entitled
Countering an Evolving Threat: Update on Recommendations to
Counter Foreign Interference in Canada's Democratic
Institutions.
- The Security and Intelligence Threats to Elections
(SITE) Task Force provided enhanced monitoring and assessing of
foreign interference threats for the five by-elections held in
2023, as well as the Durham and
Toronto-St. Paul's by-elections in 2024.
Associated Links
- Government of Canada provides
update on recommendations to combat foreign interference
- Protecting democracy
- Security and Intelligence Threats to Elections Task Force -
Threats to the Canadian Federal By-elections - June 2023
- Security and Intelligence Threats to Elections Task Force -
Threats to the Canadian Federal By-elections - July 2023
- Security and Intelligence Threats to Elections Task Force –
Threats to the Canadian Federal By-elections – Durham March
2024
Stay Connected
https://www.canada.ca/en/democratic-institutions.html
SOURCE Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and
Intergovernmental Affairs