OTTAWA, Ontario (LifeSiteNews) — Canada’s federal government admitted there could be more than 2,400 people or entities operating in the nation as undeclared foreign “agents,” some of whom work to bend the will of all levels of politicians via other countries’ governments.
Canada is in the process of launching a foreign agent registry, to which these agents would be required to register or face consequences. According to the Canada Gazette, about 872 individuals, along with 1,550 businesses, will register once the new registry is up and running.
Of these individuals, it is anticipated that about 7 percent are non-Canadians. However, the exact number is not known.
Some of the agents no doubt hail from China, which is ruled by the Communist Chinese Party (CCP) and has in the past been known to target Canadian politicians.
Those who fail to register could be subject to fines from $50 up to $1 million.
The registration of foreign agents came about after Bill C-70 became law last year. This bill orders the creation of the registry, but its implementation has been slow.
While the first steps toward the registry are in process, the current federal government of Prime Minister Mark Carney must appoint a foreign influence transparency commissioner to oversee the registry.
The Conservative Party has been critical of the Carney Liberals and former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government for delaying the registry implementation.
The registry is part of the Foreign Influence Transparency and Accountability Act (FITAA) that will eventually see some of the foreign agents’ information listed in a public registry, albeit in a limited way.
The registry is for any persons working not only for foreign governments but also for non-profits, companies, and schools.
In light of multiple accusations of foreign meddling in Canadian elections, the federal Foreign Interference Commission was convened last year to “examine and assess the interference by China, Russia, and other foreign states or non-state actors, including any potential impacts, to confirm the integrity of, and any impacts on, the 43rd and 44th general elections (2019 and 2021 elections) at the national and electoral district levels.”
The final report from the Foreign Interference Commission concluded that operatives from China may have helped elect a handful of MPs in the 2019 and 2021 Canadian federal elections. It also concluded that China was the primary foreign interference threat to Canada.
CCP interference in Canada runs deep. Indeed, as recently reported by LifeSiteNews, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) spent millions on now near-useless and compromised security drones, all because they were made in China, a nation firmly controlled by the CCP government.
Chinese influence in Canadian politics is unsurprising for many, especially given Trudeau’s past admiration for China’s “basic dictatorship.”
As reported by LifeSiteNews, a Canadian senator appointed by Trudeau told Chinese officials directly that their nation is a “partner, not a rival.”
China has been accused of direct election meddling in Canada, as reported by LifeSiteNews.