Canada inquiry found no evidence of ‘traitors' in parliament, but warns against disinformation
The final report of the Public Inquiry into Foreign Interference found 'no evidence of traitors' in the country's parliament, but Commissioner Marie-Josée Hogue warned that one of the biggest threats to democracy was foreign actors sowing disinformation in both the traditional media and social media.
'Distinguishing what is false is becoming increasingly difficult and the consequences are extraordinarily harmful,' Hogue told a news conference in Ottawa where she did not take questions.
The Canadian government established the public inquiry in September 2023 to investigate whether China, Russia and other countries interfered in Canadian federal elections in 2019 and 2021 that re-elected Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's Liberals.
The final report criticized the federal government for its slow response to foreign interference and said 'coordination between the various players involved has not always been optimal.'
The report includes seven volumes and lays out 51 recommendations for the federal government, nearly half of which she says should be considered before the next election.
The report comes as Canada's Liberal Party is selecting a new leader to replace Trudeau who announced his resignation Jan. 6. He will remain prime minister until a new Liberal Party leader is chosen on March 9.
The next Liberal leader could be the shortest-tenured prime minister in the country's history. All three opposition parties have vowed to bring down the Liberals' minority government in a no-confidence vote after parliament resumes on March 24 which would trigger a spring election.
Among the report's recommendations are calls to improve federal preparedness, foster transparency, shore up electoral integrity and counter threats against diaspora communities.
Hogue said the Canadian Security Intelligence Service should clearly flag reports it views as particularly relevant for senior decision-makers.
There is a recommendation for the government to create an entity to monitor online information for misinformation and disinformation that could impact the democratic process.
The report also calls on Ottawa to develop a comprehensive foreign interference strategy, encourage political party leaders to obtain top secret-level security clearances, and consider creating a new agency to monitor online spaces for misinformation and disinformation.
Parliament passed legislation last year to reinforce Canada's defenses against foreign meddling.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
San Francisco Chronicle
12 minutes ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
Trump administration is reviewing all 55 million foreigners with US visas for any violations
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration said Thursday it is reviewing more than 55 million people who have valid U.S. visas for any violations that could lead to deportation, part of a growing crackdown on foreigners who are permitted to be in the United States. In a written answer to a question from The Associated Press, the State Department said all U.S. visa holders, which can include tourists from many countries, are subject to 'continuous vetting,' with an eye toward any indication they could be ineligible for permission to enter or stay in the United States. Should such information be found, the visa will be revoked, and if the visa holder is in the United States, he or she would be subject to deportation. Since President Donald Trump took office, his administration has focused on deporting migrants illegally in the United States as well as holders of student and visitor exchange visas. The State Department's new language suggests that the continual vetting process, which officials acknowledge is time-consuming, is far more widespread and could mean even those approved to be in the U.S. could abruptly see those permissions revoked. There were 12.8 million green-card holders and 3.6 million people in the U.S. on temporary visas last year, according to the Department of Homeland Security. The 55 million figure suggests that some people subject to review would currently be outside the United States with multiple-entry tourist visas, said Julia Gelatt, associate director of the U.S. immigration policy program at the Migration Policy Institute. She questioned the value of spending resources on people who may never return to the United States. The State Department said it was looking for indicators of ineligibility, including people staying past the authorized timeframe outlined in a visa, criminal activity, threats to public safety, engaging in any form of terrorist activity or providing support to a terrorist organization. 'We review all available information as part of our vetting, including law enforcement or immigration records or any other information that comes to light after visa issuance indicating a potential ineligibility,' the department said. No more worker visas for commercial truck drivers The U.S. also will stop issuing worker visas for commercial truck drivers, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Thursday on X. He said the change was effective immediately. 'The increasing number of foreign drivers operating large tractor-trailer trucks on U.S. roads is endangering American lives and undercutting the livelihoods of American truckers,' Rubio posted. The Trump administration in the past months has taken steps to enforce the requirement that truckers speak and read English proficiently. The Transportation Department said the aim is to improve road safety following incidents in which drivers' ability to read signs or speak English may have contributed to traffic deaths. The State Department said later Thursday it was pausing the processing of these work visas to review its 'screening and vetting protocols.' 'Ensuring that every driver on our roads meets the highest standards is important to protecting the livelihoods of American truckers and maintaining a secure, resilient supply chain,' the department said. Edward Alden, senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, said foreign workers have helped address a labor shortage of commercial truck drivers. 'This action should be seen as part of a concerted effort by the administration to discourage American companies and other institutions like universities and hospitals from hiring and retaining foreign workers,' Alden wrote in an email. "The goal here is not to target specific classes of workers, but to send the message to American employers that they are at risk if they are employing foreign workers. The economic consequences will be far larger than just visas being stripped from foreign workers in a few job categories.' New review of all visa holders is a major expansion The administration has steadily imposed more restrictions and requirements on visa applicants, including requiring them to submit to in-person interviews. The review of all visa holders appears to be a significant expansion of what had initially been a process focused mainly on students who have been involved in what the government perceives as pro-Palestinian or anti-Israel activity. Officials say the reviews will include all visa holders' social media accounts, law enforcement and immigration records in their home countries, along with any actionable violations of U.S. law committed while they were in the United States. The reviews will include new tools for data collection on past, present and future visa applicants, including a complete scouring of social media sites made possible by new requirements introduced earlier this year. Those make it mandatory for privacy switches on cellphones and other electronic devices or apps to be turned off when an applicant appears for a visa interview. 'As part of the Trump Administration's commitment to protect U.S. national security and public safety, since Inauguration Day the State Department has revoked more than twice as many visas, including nearly four times as many student visas, as during the same time period last year,' the State Department said. The vast majority of foreigners seeking to come to the U.S. require visas, especially those who want to study or work for extended periods. Among the exceptions for short-term tourist or business visits are citizens of the 40 mainly European and Asian countries belonging to the Visa Waiver Program, which grants those nationals a stay of up to three months without having to apply for a visa. But large swaths of the world — including highly populated countries like China, India, Indonesia, Russia and most of Africa — are not part of the program, meaning their citizens must apply for and receive visas to travel to the United States. Earlier this week, the department said that since Trump returned to the White House, it has revoked more than 6,000 student visas for overstays and violations of local, state and federal law, the vast majority of which were assault, driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs and support for terrorism. It said about 4,000 of those 6,000 were due to actual infractions of laws and that approximately 200 to 300 visas were revoked for terrorism-related issues, including providing support for designated terrorist organizations or state sponsors of terrorism. ___ Elliot Spagat in San Diego contributed. ___
Epoch Times
13 minutes ago
- Epoch Times
Sask. Premier Moe to Travel to China to Discuss Canola Tariffs
Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe says he will visit China in the coming weeks alongside federal officials to advocate for a resolution to the ongoing canola trade dispute and to explore opportunities for expanding trade relations with the country. The premier made the comments on Aug. 21, following a meeting with provincial and federal ministers, the prime minister's parliamentary secretary, and industry representatives to discuss Canada's response to the latest Chinese tariffs on Canadian canola. He said they agreed on the need to engage with China to ease the tariff tensions, and that if the tariffs continue, there should be support for the agricultural sector.
The Hill
42 minutes ago
- The Hill
UN envoy warns of renewed violence in Syria a month into a fragile ceasefire
UNITED NATIONS (AP) — Syria's transition remains 'on a knife-edge' and violence could resume at any moment in the southern city of Sweida, which saw deadly clashes last month, the top U.N. envoy for Syria warned on Thursday. Geir Pedersen told the U.N. Security Council that while violence in Sweida has largely subsided following a ceasefire, 'the threat of renewed conflict is ever-present — as are the political centrifugal forces that threaten Syria's sovereignty, unity, independence and territorial integrity.' Syria is grappling with deep ethnic and religious divisions following the ouster of Syria's autocratic President Bashar Assad in December, which brought an end to decades of Assad family rule. The transition has proven fragile, with renewed violence erupting in March along the coast and in July in Sweida, a city with a significant Druze population, highlighting the continued threat to peace after years of civil war. Clashes erupted in Sweida on July 13 between Druze militias and local Sunni Muslim Bedouin tribes, and government forces intervened, nominally to restore order but they ended up essentially siding with the Bedouins. Israel intervened in defense of the Druze, launching dozens of airstrikes on convoys of government fighters. Pedersen said in a video briefing to the council that although the July 19 ceasefire agreement has largely held, 'we are still seeing dangerous hostilities and skirmishes on the margins of Sweida. And violence could resume at any moment,.' Pedersen expressed concern that 'a month of relative military calm belies a worsening political climate, with escalatory and zero-sum rhetoric hardening among many.' The U.N. envoy said there is an urgent need for security forces under the transitional government led by interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa to demonstrate that they are acting to protect all Syrians. Pedersen called for major security sector reforms in Syria and the disarmament, demobilization and reintegration of non-government forces. He warned that international support for Syria 'risks being squandered or misdirected' without a genuine political transition that lays the path for long-term stability, good governance, credible reforms and a firm commitment to the rule of law and justice. U.N. humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher called the humanitarian situation in Syria 'dire,' saying 16 million people across the country need humanitarian support. He said aid workers need protection and safety, noting that humanitarian convoys came under fire this month. He said money for food and other assistance is desperately needed, pointing to the U.N. humanitarian appeal for $3.19 billion for 2025 being only 14% funded.
