Liberals Introduce Legislation on Foreign Influence Registry, Increased Powers for CSIS

The Liberal government is introducing legislation to combat foreign interference by establishing a foreign influence transparency registry and increasing criminal penalties for the act. “Canada is a strong, open, and free democracy. These strengths, however, can make Canada a target for those who wish to advance their interests to the detriment of our own,” Minister of Public Safety Dominic LeBlanc told reporters on May 6. “We’re taking action to adapt and to respond to a world where life, and consequently threats, are increasingly moving through the online realm.” An Act Respecting Countering Foreign Interference, which the Liberal government introduced in the House of Commons, would create new foreign interference offences and a sabotage offence around conduct directed at essential infrastructure....