A briefing note from the Department of Public Safety warns that friends of China might be spreading propaganda that supports Beijing and attempting to “pollute the general media” in Canada. .According to Blacklock’s Reporter, the federal government is considering a proposal to make people who work for the Chinese Communist Party or another foreign government to disclose it publicly..“Information could be disseminated by Canadians who may not be fully aware it originates from a foreign principal or entity,” said the March 3 briefing note Election Interference. .“Unclear labelling of state-backed communications can produce public or media messaging that reinforces interests of foreign states and circulates propaganda and disinformation that could either misdirect citizens or pollute the general media and information environment.”.“To undertake malign foreign influence activities, some foreign governments or their proxies may leverage individuals or entities to undertake foreign influence activities intended to shape Canadian government policy, outcomes or public opinion without disclosing their foreign government ties,” said the note. .“These activities could result in policy and legislation favourable to foreign interests over Canadian ones.”.“They could also impact the content of available material that informs public opinions and the exercise of democratic rights,” said the note. It detailed no examples..Cheuk Kwan, filmmaker and co-chair of the Toronto Association for Democracy in China, testified on March 10 at the House Affairs committee that a popular local group, the Confederation of Toronto Chinese Canadian Organizations, was a key promoter of foreign propaganda..“These and many other proxy organizations practice the art of astroturfing, echoing the Party line to defend China’s foreign and domestic policies,” testified Kwan. .“In addition to engaging friendly academics and business people to advocate on its behalf, China also spreads its tentacles to cultivate elected officials and infiltrate political institutions at all levels of Canadian society.”.Kwan asked Parliament to make a law called the Foreign Agents Registration Act. .This law would require people paid by China to inform the federal government..“The Chinese-Canadian community and other people welcome this registry,” said Kwan..A private Conservative bill, S-237 An Act to Establish the Foreign Influence Registry, was introduced in the Senate on Feb. 24, 2022, to mandate disclosure of all lobbyists acting for “a foreign government, an individual or entity related to a foreign government” under threat of $200,000 fines and two years in jail. .The bill has not been called up for Second Reading..The all-party Commons Special Committee on Canada-China Relations said in a report, A Threat to Canadian Sovereignty, on May 17 that Canada should create a foreign registry. .This registry would be similar to the United States Foreign Agents Registration Act from 1938 and Australia's Foreign Influence Transparency Scheme Act from 2018..In his House Affairs committee testimony on June 1, Emergency Preparedness Minister Bill Blair stated that Canada should take further action in emergency preparedness..“There have been consultations on a foreign agent registry which I think is going to be very important,” said Blair. .“It will provide us with very important tools.”
