Canada inquiry finds no 'traitors' in Parl, warns against disinformation

A public inquiry on foreign interference in Canada concluded Tuesday that while some foreign entities tried to interfere in the country's elections, its democratic institutions remain "robust, but warned against the danger of misinformation.

The final report of the Public Inquiry into Foreign Interference found no evidence of traitors in the country's parliament, but Commissioner Marie-Jose Hogue warned that one of the biggest threats to democracy was foreign actors sowing disinformation in both the traditional media and social media.

Distinguishing what is false is becoming increasingly difficult and the consequences are extraordinarily harmful, Hogue told a news conference in Ottawa where she did not take questions.

The Canadian government established the public inquiry in September 2023 to investigate whether China, Russia and other countries interfered in Canadian federal elections in 2019 and 2021 that re-elected Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's Liberals.

The final report criticised the federal government for its slow response to foreign interference and said coordination between the various players involved has not always been optimal.

The report includes seven volumes and lays out 51 recommendations for the federal government, nearly half of which she says should be considered before the next election.

The report comes as Canada's Liberal Party is selecting a new leader to replace Trudeau who announced his resignation Jan 6. He will remain prime minister until a new Liberal Party leader is chosen on March 9.

The next Liberal leader could be the shortest-tenured prime minister in the country's history. All three opposition parties have vowed to bring down the Liberals' minority government in a no-confidence vote after parliament resumes on March 24 which would trigger a spring election.

Among the report's recommendations are calls to improve federal preparedness, foster transparency, shore up electoral integrity and counter threats against diaspora communities.

Hogue said the Canadian Security Intelligence Service should clearly flag reports it views as particularly relevant for senior decision-makers.

There is a recommendation for the government to create an entity to monitor online information for misinformation and disinformation that could impact the democratic process.

The report also calls on Ottawa to develop a comprehensive foreign interference strategy, encourage political party leaders to obtain top secret-level security clearances, and consider creating a new agency to monitor online spaces for misinformation and disinformation.

Parliament passed legislation last year to reinforce Canada's defenses against foreign meddling.

The federal bill created offences for deceptive or surreptitious acts that undermine democratic processes, such as covertly influencing the outcome of a candidate nomination contest.