Commonwealth_ The federal government is considering changes to how it informs Canadians about foreign interference attempts in elections, including the possibility of lowering the threshold for issuing public alerts. Allen Sutherland, assistant secretary to the cabinet in the Privy Council Office (PCO), testified about these potential changes during the ongoing inquiry into foreign interference in Canadian politics. The inquiry was launched to investigate concerns about interference in previous federal elections, particularly in light of media reports that suggested China had meddled in the 2019 and 2021 elections.
Sutherland explained that the government has already mobilized teams tasked with monitoring potential election interference and notifying the public when necessary. These efforts are part of the broader strategy to protect Canada’s electoral integrity. One of the key groups involved is the Critical Election Incident Public Protocol Panel, which plays a crucial role in identifying and responding to threats of interference. According to Sutherland, the panel has already begun its work ahead of the next election and has convened five times to date. The Security and Intelligence Threats to Elections (SITE) task force is also fully operational and actively monitoring potential risks.
Sutherland highlighted the importance of updating the government’s election protection plan, which has not been revised since 2021. With national security agencies now more aware of emerging threats, including those posed by artificial intelligence (AI), Sutherland noted that AI will be factored into the new iteration of the protection plan. One significant area of focus is the threshold for informing Canadians about potential interference attempts. The existing threshold for alerting the public is intentionally high to avoid unnecessarily disrupting elections. However, Sutherland acknowledged that changes are being considered to allow the government to issue public alerts in response to lower-threshold events. The goal would be to ensure that Canadians are informed about possible interference without causing undue alarm or undermining confidence in the electoral process.
Sutherland also emphasized that the government’s understanding of foreign interference has evolved. While it was once viewed as a concern primarily during election periods, the threat is now recognized as a constant, year-round issue. This shift in perspective has prompted the government to adopt a more proactive and comprehensive approach to monitoring interference attempts throughout the entire electoral cycle. The inquiry into foreign interference, led by Justice Marie-Josée Hogue, was established following reports that China may have interfered in Canada’s federal elections. In her initial findings, made public in May, Hogue concluded that while it was possible that foreign interference occurred in a small number of ridings, it did not affect the overall election results. Nevertheless, the possibility of external interference remains a critical issue for Canadian democracy, and the inquiry aims to address how such threats are being managed.
During the same day of testimony, officials from the Communications Security Establishment (CSE), Canada’s electronic intelligence agency, also addressed the inquiry. They pointed to the People’s Republic of China (PRC) as posing the greatest cybersecurity threat to Canada. Caroline Xavier, chief of the CSE, described China as a “sophisticated, persistent, and patient actor” that has become increasingly assertive in recent years. Alia Tayyeb, CSE’s deputy chief of signals intelligence, elaborated on the evolving tactics and techniques used by state actors like China. According to Tayyeb, the sophistication of cyber threats has increased, making it more challenging to detect and counter these efforts. In addition to cyber-based attacks, traditional tools of foreign interference, such as the use of proxies, proxy organizations, and state-controlled media, continue to be employed by actors including the PRC.
