Ottawa is moving to soften enforcement of Canada’s foreign agents registry, with draft regulations proposing penalties as low as a $50 fine and allowing payments from foreign entities to remain secret.Blacklock's Reporter says Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree quietly released the proposed rules over the weekend, nearly 19 months after Parliament ordered the creation of a public registry to counter foreign interference. The draft regulations would limit what information is made public and set no firm deadline for enforcing the law, despite cabinet assurances the registry would be operating by last June.According to a Regulatory Impact Analysis Statement issued by the Department of Public Safety, some details would be withheld from publication, including financial compensation paid to individuals acting on behalf of foreign interests. The department cited privacy concerns for shielding that information from public view.Parliament passed Bill C-70 on June 19, 2024, requiring anyone “acting at the direction of, for the benefit of or in association with a foreign entity” to register if they lobby politicians, public officials, media, or the public. .The law allows for penalties of up to five years in prison or a $5 million fine for serious violations.The proposed regulations, however, would permit administrative penalties for non-compliance as low as $50. Individuals or organizations that fail to register could also enter into compliance agreements that reduce or eliminate penalties altogether.Lawmakers originally envisioned a registry similar to the United States’ Foreign Agents Registration Act, which requires disclosure of who is paying for lobbying and influence activities. Anandasangaree rejected that approach, opting instead to keep compensation details out of the public registry.The department acknowledged that some groups pushed for full disclosure. .“Diaspora groups suggested publishing compensation details in the registry to show the scale of arrangements,” the Analysis Statement said, adding the idea was considered but ultimately dismissed.Officials estimate the registry could capture thousands of foreign agents operating in Canada. Internal figures suggest about 2,422 individuals and businesses would be affected and potentially subject to penalties under the new regime.Appearing before a Commons committee on Nov. 6, Anandasangaree conceded the rollout had been slow. “I wish this was done earlier,” he said, pointing to ongoing regulatory work.Opposition MPs have been less forgiving, accusing the Liberal government of dragging its feet. Conservative MP Michael Cooper told a House affairs committee hearing in December that cabinet missed its own deadline by months. “The Liberal government promised to get it up and running no later than June of this year,” he said. “It’s six months later. We don’t have a registry in place.”
