Foreign Interference Regulation In Canada

As our world becomes increasingly globalized, digitalized, and technologically advanced, new avenues are emerging for foreign actors to covertly insert themselves into Canada's political and economic ecosystem. Canada, and other like-minded countries, are responding by taking measures to bolster their defenses against the threat posed to their sovereignty and prosperity from foreign interference.

This article defines foreign interference and illustrates the threat it represents to Canada's national security. We also briefly examine Canada's current approach and proposed initiatives to safeguard against it.

What is foreign interference?

The federal government's consultation paper, Enhancing Foreign Influence Transparency: Exploring Measures to Strengthen Canada's Approach, defines "foreign interference" as "[a]ctivities perpetrated by a foreign state, or proxy, that are harmful to Canada's interests and are clandestine or deceptive, or involve a threat to any