Canada flags China and India for likely interference in April 28 election

Express Tribune

25-03-2025

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Canada's national spy agency has warned that China and India are likely to attempt interference in the country's upcoming general election on April 28, with Russia and Pakistan also identified as potential threats.
The warning from the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) was issued during a press conference on Monday, where senior intelligence officials outlined growing concerns about foreign meddling amid tense diplomatic relations with both Beijing and New Delhi.
'The People's Republic of China is highly likely to use AI-enabled tools to attempt to interfere with Canada's democratic process in this current election,' said Vanessa Lloyd, CSIS's Deputy Director of Operations.
'We have also seen that the government of India has the intent and capability to interfere in Canadian communities and democratic processes,' she added.
The warning comes as Prime Minister Mark Carney, who took office earlier this year, called a snap election in a bid to secure a stronger mandate to address both domestic challenges and shifting global dynamics, particularly the return of US President Donald Trump.
Tensions between Canada and China have escalated in recent months. Earlier in March, Beijing imposed tariffs on over $2.6 billion worth of Canadian agricultural and food products, retaliating against earlier Canadian levies on Chinese electric vehicles, steel, and aluminium. Ottawa also strongly condemned China's recent execution of four Canadian citizens convicted on drug charges.
Relations with India have also soured. Last year, Canada expelled six Indian diplomats, including the head of mission, following allegations of Indian involvement in a plot to assassinate a Sikh separatist leader, Hardeep Singh Nijjar, on Canadian soil. India denied the claims and has since accused Canada of harbouring anti-India extremists.
CSIS said that while the full impact of foreign interference is often hard to measure, even the perception of manipulation can undermine public confidence in democratic processes.
'It's often very difficult to establish a direct link between foreign interference activities and election results,' said Lloyd. 'Nevertheless, threat activities can erode public trust in the integrity of Canada's democratic processes and institutions.'
A federal inquiry published in January concluded that while there was foreign interference by China and India in the 2019 and 2021 elections, it did not alter the final outcomes. However, the report noted Canada had been slow to respond to those threats and needed to enhance its defences.
Lloyd said that in addition to China and India, both Russia and Pakistan were capable of conducting foreign interference operations against Canada, especially as technology makes disinformation campaigns and influence operations easier to scale.
The Chinese and Indian diplomatic missions in Ottawa did not respond to requests for comment on the latest allegations.
Canada has faced increasing pressure to bolster its cyber and democratic resilience amid the rise of AI-driven disinformation campaigns. Intelligence officials noted that hostile foreign actors are using these tools to manipulate public discourse, spread polarising narratives, and shape political outcomes.
The April election is expected to be a test not just of Canada's political landscape but also of its ability to defend its democratic institutions from global interference.