Government pitches foreign agent registry, new powers for CSIS in attempt to curb foreign interference

The federal government unveiled a long-anticipated bill Monday aimed at curbing foreign interference in Canadian political life — from school boards to the House of Commons.

The bill would make it an indictable offence — punishable by up to life in prison — for anyone to, at the direction of a foreign entity, engage in "surreptitious or deceptive conduct" to influence a political or governmental process, which includes party nomination contests.

In her first report, released Friday, Justice Marie-Josée Hogue (who is leading the inquiry) said she could not rule out the possibility that China interfered in the 2019 Liberal nomination contest for the riding of Don Valley North.

The Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) has long called for new powers and the ability to share information with targets of foreign interference apart from the government, such as researchers, businesses and Indigenous communities.

This would give business leaders a clearer understanding of the growing threat, as well as the protective measures that could be taken to better safeguard their employees, customers, and the communities in which they operate."

Those caught violating the rules of the proposed new foreign influence transparency registry could risk millions of dollars in financial penalties and prison time.