Anton Boegman is Canada’s first foreign influence transparency commissioner
Gary Anandasangaree, federal public safety minister, has announced that the Foreign Influence Transparency and Accountability Act and the related regulations have come into force, thus establishing a publicly accessible registry of foreign influence activities and appointing an independent commissioner.
“With the establishment of the public registry, we are moving to ensure those representing the interests of a foreign entity do so with transparency and accountability, and to weed out the foreign interference that seeks to harm our country and our people,” Anandasangaree said in a news release from Public Safety Canada.
Under the new legislation:
- Individuals and organizations should register within 14 days an arrangement with a foreign principal for activities seeking to influence a Canadian political or governmental process
- The individual or entity should submit the registration by Oct. 3 if the arrangement existed prior to Aug. 4, 2026, when the law took effect
- Governments and parliamentary entities acting within their official mandates do not have to comply with the registration obligations
Building on prior measures for discovering, discouraging, and responding to foreign interference, the new registry will utilize oversight mechanisms for visibility and transparency into foreign influence activities.
According to Public Safety Canada, these mechanisms will include:
- stronger intelligence coordination
- more policing resources
- enhanced border measures
- increased engagement with civil society, diaspora communities, and vulnerable communities
Goals of foreign influence registry
Public Safety Canada shared that the new registry will aim to help Canadians be confident about the integrity of the nation’s democratic institutions and processes and understand when and how foreign states and actors are attempting to influence public life.
The federal government department added that the new registry will seek to help law enforcement and intelligence agencies tackle covert foreign interference, an evolving threat.
According to the news release, the new registry will ultimately aim to promote accountability, public trust, and the integrity of Canada’s democratic institutions.
Independent Commissioner Anton Boegman
Public Safety Canada also announced Anton Boegman’s formal appointment as Canada’s inaugural foreign influence transparency commissioner.
“I welcome Mr. Boegman in his important role as Commissioner and am confident his strong leadership will help Canadians to better understand how foreign influence works and strengthen public confidence in our democratic and electoral institutions and processes,” Anandasangaree said.
In this role, Boegman will independently administer and enforce the Foreign Influence Transparency and Accountability Act and the regulations that govern it, investigate compliance issues, and report publicly on violations, with individuals or organizations in breach of the law potentially facing an administrative monetary penalty ranging from $250 to $1 million.
“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, while strengthening confidence in our democratic institutions,” Boegman said.
More on Foreign Influence Transparency and Accountability Act
On June 20, 2024, the federal government introduced the Foreign Influence Transparency and Accountability Act as part IV of Bill C-70. The legislation defines transparent foreign influence and sets requirements to register foreign influence activities.
Other federal government announcements
Here are some other news stories revolving around announcements from the Canadian government.
On July 16, the federal government announced the signing of the United Nations Convention against Cybercrime; Strengthening International Cooperation for Combating Certain Crimes Committed by Means of Information and Communications Technology Systems and for the Sharing of Evidence in Electronic Form of Serious Crimes.
On Mar. 12, the federal government announced the introduction of Bill C-22, an act to keep Canadians safe, in an effort to align the country’s laws with those of key allies that have implemented lawful access regimes, including the Five Eyes.
Enjoy this story? Read the latest Canadian legal news on the main page!
