“Small scale” foreign interference at play during Carney’s election

Despite a government panel assigned to monitoring federal elections remaining silent, foreign interference did play a role in Canada’s last general election.

Source: Rawpixel

Despite a government panel assigned to monitoring federal elections remaining silent, foreign interference did play a role in Canada’s last general election, according to a task force investigating security threats to elections.

According to the latest SITE report published on Thursday, foreign entities were active meddling during the last general election in the spring.

“Over the course of the election period, the SITE TF observed instances of foreign interference such as transnational repression, inauthentic and coordinated amplification of online content, and online threats such as scams and disinformation,” reads the report.

While the interference was “small-scale,” the task force briefed “the Panel” with its findings, which ultimately determined it did not affect “Canada’s ability to have a free and fair election.”

The Critical Election Incident Public Protocol panel comprises five senior bureaucrats: the Privy Council, the national security and intelligence adviser, the deputy attorney general, and the deputy ministers of public safety and foreign affairs.

The CEIPP panel is empowered to warn the public during an election campaign if it decides one or more incidents threaten Canada’s electoral process.

However, it made no such announcement in the election that ultimately saw then-Liberal leader Mark Carney become prime minister.

According to the report, the task force responded to these incidents based on the panel’s direction.

The report noted that the panel’s reflections “point to the broader reality that electoral integrity must be tended to throughout the full life cycle of democratic governance.”

“The Panel aims to demonstrate improved ability to monitor and identify threats, coordinate responses, and strengthen public confidence,” it said.

SITE assessed China would likely “continue to target Canadian democratic institutions” with PRC officials and proxies conducting foreign interference “using a complex array of both overt and covert mechanisms.”

“The PRC was highly likely to use AI-enabled tools to attempt to interfere with Canada’s democratic process during GE45, leveraging social media to promote narratives that were favourable to PRC interests,” it said. “Additionally, the PRC was highly likely to target Chinese ethnic, cultural, and religious communities in Canada using clandestine and deceptive methods.”

The task force also observed Russian efforts to interfere by manipulating information and meddling with online activities.

“Throughout GE45, the SITE TF observed efforts by the Russian Federation to leverage its foreign information manipulation and interference networks online. This consists of a network of websites that launder and amplify Russian government-controlled media outlets’ aggregated items about Canadian candidates and the election throughout the election period,” reads the report.

“Most content during GE45 focused on various narratives regarding LPC leader Mark Carney. Overall, posts from the networks received low levels of user engagement online and very few views; as such, it is unlikely that Canadians viewed this content.”

Politicians’ names and likenesses were also used in numerous incidents to promote cryptocurrency and financial scams.