Parliamentary Committee Notes: Opening Remarks
Madam Chair, Vice Chair, Honourable Members:
I appreciate the opportunity to discuss election interference today.
Members, we're here to discuss the concern that is the potential for foreign election interference in Canada.
We've seen that interference has been on the rise, becoming increasingly sophisticated, pervasive and frequent.
When we see foreign governments seek to exert influence in non-transparent ways to shape our systems, approaches and policies, it's an attack on our values and principles as a nation.
It's one of the greatest threats we face in Canada…
…To our security, our livelihoods, our prosperity, and our sovereignty.
We know this type of activity is being undertaken by a number of foreign state actors, such as China, Russia and Iran.
We know it can deceive, coerce and threaten people, institutions and states, including through harassment, intimidation, disinformation and more.
We know it represents a threat to our critical infrastructure, especially through cyber attacks or other malicious activities.
No-one is immune.
But no-one should live in distrust and fear, either.
Foreign interference will never be tolerated in this country.
That's why Prime Minister Trudeau recently announced that the Government is establishing a new National Counter Foreign Interference Coordinator – one of the major public safety items of Budget 2023.
That position will be housed within Public Safety Canada, to coordinate efforts to combat foreign interference.
The Prime Minister also highlighted that Canada will develop a plan to address outstanding recommendations from the reviews on this important matter and indeed that plan was delivered to him on 6 April.
That said, Madam Chair, we want to hear from communities about how they've been impacted, what threats we are seeing, and how we can ensure greater resilience.
That's why, in March, I launched consultations with Canadians on a foreign influence transparency registry, to ensure transparency and accountability from people who advocate on behalf of a foreign government.
This adds to ongoing engagement efforts – for example with private companies, researchers and the health sector, to inform them of the threats, and to help them better understand how to protect their work.
Of course, we are going far beyond engagement, Madam Chair.
We provide mechanisms for the public to report threats, through CSIS and RCMP websites, and through national security threat phone lines.
Our security and intelligence agencies are actively taking measures to address this threat.
We regularly conduct national security reviews of foreign investments that could pose a threat.
And we coordinate and share information with Five Eyes, and other global allies like G7 and NATO.
Madam Chair, as outlined in our 2019 Plan to Protect Canada's Democracy points out, we take a holistic approach to protecting our democratic institutions and practices from interference.
We must work together, as parliamentarians, and with all levels of government, the private and academic sectors, and all of society, to confront this threat.
It's not a static threat, Madam Chair.
It's a world where a new and previously-unseen threat could always be potentially around the corner.
I want to reassure Canadians that, as I've outlined today, we have a robust system in place to deal with the challenges we are facing.
And that our intelligence and law enforcement agencies will work with all partners to improve Canada's overall readiness and capacity to plan for, respond to and mitigate foreign threats.
Indeed, the two Intelligence committees the Government created, the National Security and Intelligence Review Agency and the National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians, are well-placed to take on a significant role in how we do that.
As I've stated before, these thoughtful discussions must be ongoing, Madam Chair.
We need to make sure we've got the best advice and evidence to make the best decisions for Canadians.
That's what steady leadership in uncertain times looks like.
We won't be intimidated or harassed, or otherwise manipulated by a foreign government.
And Canadians can expect that we will take the same tough stance when it comes to protecting our democracy, rights as well as the values we cherish.
We will continue to defend Canada and our democratic institutions.
Thank you, and I look forward to our discussion.
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