Chinese soldiers stand guard near Tiananmen Square in Beijing on March 5, 2021. (Nicolas Asfouri/AFP via Getty Images)
By Andrew Chen
The proposal to mandate registration for foreign agents has gained widespread support among Canadians, as disclosed in a recent briefing note by Public Safety Canada.
“So far, the feedback we received from Canadians and a diverse range of stakeholders has indicated that there is broad support for a Registry,” the federal department said in a briefing note dated Oct. 24, 2023. The briefing note was obtained by Blacklock’s Reporter and subsequently reviewed by The Epoch Times.
Following widespread media reports of Beijing’s interference in Canada, the government launched a public consultation on March 10, 2023, with the aim of guiding the creation of the Foreign Influence Transparency Registry.
A foreign agent registry would “focus on shedding light on arrangements and activities taken in partnership with foreign governments.” It would also foster societal resilience by prompting individuals to exercise due diligence when engaging with or representing foreign entities.
Public Safety Canada acknowledged that certain individuals and entities may exploit the legal and democratic system in Canada, seeking to exert influence on behalf of a foreign authority. It also recognized that foreign agents’ activities “could result in policy and legislation favourable to foreign interests over Canadian ones” and mislead media and the public.
“To undertake malign foreign influence activities, some foreign governments, or their proxies, may leverage individuals or entities to under take foreign influence activities intended to shape Canadian government policy, outcomes, or public opinion, without disclosing their foreign government ties,” the briefing note stated.
“Unclear labeling of state backed communications can produce public or media messaging that reinforces interests of adversarial states and circulates propaganda or disinformation that could either misdirect citizens or pollute the general media and information environment.”
In recent years, various forms of Beijing’s interference in Canada have come to light, including the alleged operation of at least seven secret police stations in Toronto, Montreal, and Vancouver. Additionally, a public inquiry aimed at scrutinizing foreign interference in Canada’s 2019 and 2021 federal elections is underway, following reports of the communist regime’s interference.