Canada is still without a promised public registry of foreign agents, 18 months after Parliament ordered its creation, and officials refuse to set a firm launch date, the House affairs committee heard Wednesday.“The Liberal government promised to get it up and running no later than June of this year,” said Conservative MP Michael Cooper. “It’s six months later. We don’t have a registry in place. We don’t even have a commissioner appointed.” Blacklock's Reporter said Cooper noted prior assurances that a commissioner would be named by mid-September were also missed, and no final candidates have been confirmed.Sébastien Aubertin-Giguere, associate assistant deputy public safety minister, told MPs the appointment of a commissioner is a critical first step. “The appointment process of the commissioner is governed by the Act which requires consultation and approval by resolution of both the House and Senate,” he said. “Potential candidates have been identified and we have moved forward with necessary steps to confirm suitability. You need top secret clearance.”.When pressed for a timeline, Aubertin-Giguere declined to provide one. “Is it six months, is it a year?” Cooper asked. “I’m not in a position,” the official replied.Parliament passed Bill C-70 in June 2024, mandating the naming of anyone acting at the direction of, for the benefit of, or in association with a foreign entity when lobbying public office holders, under threat of five years’ imprisonment or a $5 million fine. The Department of Public Safety had previously promised the registry would be operational by spring 2025. A briefing note cited the experience of allies such as Australia and the United Kingdom, which took over two years to implement similar systems.Opposition Leader Pierre Polievre said the registry should have been in place before the last general election. “Then we would know proactively who is working on behalf of a foreign government,” he said.
