Canadians were promised a foreign agent registry — so where is it?

When Parliament passed a sweeping national security bill last June, the Liberal government promised to establish a foreign influence transparency registry to convict proxies trying to meddle in Canadian politics.

But nearly a year later, it remains unclear how soon the office will be up and running

I think it’s a huge vulnerability that needs to be addressed and needs to be fixed, said Dennis Molinaro, a former national security analyst with the federal government who now teaches at Ontario Tech University.

It sends a message to adversaries that maybe we’re not all that serious about putting it in place and about national security.

During last year’s spring sitting of Parliament, and in a notable moment of consensus, the opposition parties agreed to help expedite the passage of what was then Bill C-70, the countering foreign interference bill.

Commissioner yet to be appointed

A core part of the bill would require those acting on behalf of foreign states to register with the federal government within 14 days of entering an agreement. Similar foreign agent registries are already in place in the U.S. and Australia and have led to police crackdowns. The Liberals had been toying with the idea of introducing a registry since at least 2021.

Those caught violating the rules of the proposed new foreign influence transparency registry could risk millions of dollars in financial penalties and prison time. Diplomats would be exempt under international law.

The registry would be overseen by an independent foreign influence transparency commissioner, who has yet to be appointed.

A spokesperson for the Public Safety department said there are still several steps needed before the registry is fully implemented.

Officials are working to ensure that the proper steps are taken to develop the necessary regulations, and to set up the office, including the appointment of the commissioner, while also building the IT infrastructure for a best-in-class registry, said Max Watson.

The department did not follow up when asked if there was a timeline for when the office would be up and running.

Before the bill received royal assent last June, officials had said it could take up to a year. They also said they hoped to have it in place before the next election, which didn’t happen.

The government’s website now only says the coming into force date will be determined on advice from cabinet.

Molinaro doesn’t buy the department’s explanation for why the registry isn’t operational yet.

I mean, we’re talking about a government that has a lot of resources at its disposal, so it’s a question of, how seriously do you take it? he said.

And [if] you want to send a strong message to the adversaries of Canada that we take foreign interference and foreign threats to our democratic institutions and transnational repression seriously, well then you develop the resources and you make it happen in a timely manner, and they’re not doing that.

Conservatives call out ‘performative gestures’

Advocate Gloria Fung, convenor of the Canadian Coalition for a Foreign Influence Transparency Registry, said the registry isn’t a panacea but rather a starting point, especially for those in diaspora communities who are the direct victims of harassment from foreign actors in Canada.

We cannot afford to wait further, she said, pointing to substantiated reports of foreign interference during both the Liberal leadership campaign and the recent federal election. I hope Prime Minister Carney can do better.

Fung was hoping to see the the office in place and working before the federal election. With that opportunity gone, she’s now hoping to meet with Carney and new Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree to stress the urgency of getting the job done.

If we do not take concrete action it’s going to get worse up to a point of no return, Fung said.

This article is republished from RCI.