Government of Canada announces measures to protect Durham by-election from foreign interference

From: Democratic Institutions

News release

Ottawa, Ontario, January 29, 2024 – Today, the Honourable Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions, and Intergovernmental Affairs, announced that the measures brought in to protect by-elections from any potential foreign interference will be applied to the Durham electoral district by-election to be held on March 4, 2024.

These measures are continuously reviewed in light of the potential for new and evolving threats.

The Security and Intelligence Threats to Elections (SITE) Task Force will provide enhanced monitoring and assessing of foreign interference threats during the by-election period. These assessments 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.

Quotes

“Canadians can have confidence in the strength and resilience of our democracy. The measures announced today are in keeping with our government’s ongoing commitment to protecting Canada’s democracy against foreign interference.”
– 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;
    • 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;
    • 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.

  • On September 7, 2023 , the Honourable Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions, and Intergovernmental Affairs announced the Public Inquiry into Foreign Interference in Federal Electoral Processes and Democratic Institutions.

Associated links

Contacts

For more information (media only), please contact:

Jean-Sébastien Comeau
Press Secretary and Senior Communications Advisor
Office of the Honourable Dominic LeBlanc
Minister Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental Affairs
343-574-8116
Jean-Sebastien.Comeau@iga-aig.gc.ca

Media Relations
Privy Council Office
613-957-5420
mediacentre@pco-bcp.gc.ca

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