
Commissioner Marie-Josée Hogue delivers opening remarks at the Public Inquiry Into Foreign Interference in Federal Electoral Processes and Democratic Institutions, in Ottawa on Jan. 30, 2024. (Screen shot)
Hogue said in her report that the federal government had introduced several measures to combat foreign interference while the commission was carrying out its work, but they generally have “not been in place long enough for the Commission to assess their effectiveness.”
2019 and 2021 Elections
The commission’s two-year investigation into foreign interference in Canada, which involved the testimony of 150 witnesses and over 35 days of public hearings, examined alleged incidents of foreign interference in the 2019 and 2021 federal elections.
Hogue said that while foreign interference did not undermine the integrity of the previous two federal elections or change which party came to power, the impact on individual ridings was a “more difficult question to answer.” She said it is possible that a small number of ridings were effected by foreign states, and that it is “regrettably” true that public confidence in democracy was harmed.
China Biggest Foreign Interference Threat
The report said China is the “most active perpetrator” of foreign interference targeting Canada’s democracy, and views the country as a “high-priority target” due to its large Chinese diaspora and membership in important defence alliances. The PRC targets all levels of government in Canada using proxy organizations and individuals, diplomatic channels like the United Front Work Department, social media, and cyberattacks.
The report stated that it had only “scratched the surface” of transnational repression in Canada, and that the government must meaningfully respond to the phenomena.
Establishment of Commission
The Foreign Interference was established in September 2023 following multiple intelligence leaks in the media depicting attempts by China to interfere in Canada. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau initially resisted holding a public inquiry into foreign interference, and instead hired former Governor General David Johnston as a “special rapporteur” in March 2023 to determine whether an inquiry was needed.