We have submitted a report for the committee's consideration. This latest report provides an overview of Beijing's influence in Canadian electoral and democratic processes.
Canada needs a holistic, whole-of-society approach to sustainably counter foreign influence while strengthening Canadian democratic institutions. It is critical that we develop educational materials for campaigns on issues of foreign influence and invest in culturally sensitive, linguistically appropriate civic engagement with vulnerable and potentially targeted communities.
On a broader scale, we need to provide Canadians with the tools and knowledge to participate in civic activities and to identify foreign influence and inaccurate information. Growing community resilience through digital literacy and media literacy can empower Canadians in making informed decisions, whether in front of a ballot or consuming information online.
Transparency and sunlight are crucial. ACHK supports the call for a country-agnostic foreign influence transparency scheme that ensures that foreign principals and their proxies register their activities, including political operatives and those engaged in academia, civil society, business and investments, and media. The transparency scheme must come with investigative and enforcement powers, and non-compliance should be penalized. The registry must also be accompanied by a fair and transparent appeals mechanism.
Though we have yet to see the office's mandate, the government's proposed national counter-interference office should be coordinating information dissemination. We urge the office to support the development of clearance-specific materials on issues of foreign interference to inform the Canadian public, as well as sector-specific advice for Canadian institutions.
Thank you for having us. We are happy to take your questions.