Recommendations
Special Report on Foreign Interference in Canada's Democratic Processes and Institutions

R1

The government table legislation before the next federal election to address gaps in Canada’s legal framework with respect to foreign interference, specifically to:

1. Create a foreign influence transparency registry;
2. Amend the Criminal Code and the Security of Information Act to define foreign interference and introduce relevant offences;
3. Modernize the Canadian Security Intelligence Service Act, including to facilitate wider sharing of classified information;
4. Address the intelligence and evidence challenge; and,
5. Reduce vulnerabilities in political nomination processes, including leadership conventions.

R2

The government engage political parties to determine whether party nomination processes and leadership conventions be included within the framework of the Canada Elections Act, and work with Parliament to determine whether the statute governing the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner and the Senate Ethics Officer be revised to include foreign interference.

R3

The government review and renew legislation, strategies and funding to ensure they keep pace with the evolution of foreign interference activities and other national security threats, and regularly include and respect legislative review provisions in national security legislation.

R4

The government ensure that the roles, mandates and accountabilities of the National Security Council and supporting governance committees are clear and publicly communicated to improve transparency and performance.

R5

The security and intelligence community develop consistent definitions and thresholds for action with respect to foreign interference, and organizations responsible for intelligence collection and those responsible for providing policy advice, respectively, regularly collaborate to provide the government timely and comprehensive assessments of threats and advice for action.

R6

The government immediately implement and report annually on the briefings for Parliamentarians on the threat of foreign interference.