Canada's long-awaited foreign influence registry is now in force, giving individuals and organizations acting on behalf of foreign governments until Oct. 3 to register or face penalties of up to $1 million and possible prison time.The Foreign Influence Transparency Registry officially came into effect Tuesday under the oversight of Foreign Influence Transparency Commissioner Anton Boegman, who said the new system is intended to give Canadians greater visibility into foreign efforts to influence public decision-making."By making information about foreign influence activities openly available, we are empowering Canadians with greater insight into how influence is exercised, on whose behalf and how public decision making may be shaped," Boegman said in a statement.Blacklock's Reporter said he Oct. 3 deadline applies to individuals already engaged in activities covered by the legislation. Anyone who begins acting on behalf of a foreign entity after that date must register within 14 days.Boegman, the former chief electoral officer for British Columbia, previously told the House affairs committee that prompt enforcement will be critical to the registry's credibility."I believe it is essential to start enforcing the rules promptly and to report publicly on that activity," he told MPs on Feb. 26."Citizens need to see this work in action."Parliament approved the registry through Bill C-70, the Countering Foreign Interference Act, in 2024. The legislation requires anyone acting at the direction of, for the benefit of or in association with a foreign entity while lobbying public office holders to register with the commissioner.Violations can result in fines of up to $1 million or prison sentences of up to five years."Canadians need to know who is trying to influence them and why," Boegman said during his committee appearance. "It is critically important to ensure there is clarity about the rules and that they are understood.".The registry marks a significant shift for the Liberal government, which resisted calls for such legislation for years.Former public safety minister Marco Mendicino argued in 2023 that Ottawa needed to proceed cautiously to avoid stigmatizing communities."I wouldn't describe it as hesitation," Mendicino told the House of Commons special committee on Canada-China relations. "I think we need to be diligent and thoughtful and inclusive when it comes to bringing all Canadians along."He said national security measures must be implemented in a way that maintains public trust and avoids unfairly targeting cultural communities.Former international trade minister Mary Ng also opposed creating a registry at the time, accusing Conservatives of politicizing the issue and warning it could fuel division and anti-Asian racism."We have to be mindful of history anytime we're talking about registries of foreigners in our country," Ng told reporters in 2023.She said Chinese Canadians had expressed concern that the debate could unfairly cast suspicion over entire communities.Canada joins several allies that already operate foreign agent registries, including the United States, which enacted its Foreign Agents Registration Act in 1938, Australia in 2018 and the United Kingdom in 2023.
