Canada's new foreign influence office aims for transparency, not interference prevention

Canada has launched a foreign influence transparency office headed by Anton Boegman, the former chief electoral officer of British Columbia. Boegman clarified that the office will focus on making declared foreign lobbying activities visible through a new registry, but it is not equipped to uncover covert foreign interference, which will continue to be handled by the RCMP and national security agencies. The registry, effective Tuesday, obliges individuals or groups working for foreign governments to register, with fines up to $1 million for non-compliance.

While the original legislation called for inclusion of Indigenous leaders, the regulations released this summer omitted them, a decision attributed to Public Safety Canada. The commissioner will assess each case to determine whether an activity constitutes registrable influence or covert interference, and he anticipates future adjustments to the regime as practical experience accumulates.