Bad guys ‘always a step ahead’ on foreign interference in Canada: Green official

By Jim Bronskill, The Canadian Press on September 19, 2024.

OTTAWA – A senior Green Party official says “the bad guys are always a step ahead” when it comes to meddling in the Canadian political process.

Jon Irwin, the party’s interim executive director, told a federal inquiry today the ideal tactic for a foreign country would be working to get someone in a “position of power” within a Canadian political party.

The inquiry into foreign interference is hearing from Green, Bloc Québécois and New Democratic Party officials.

The latest hearings are focused on the capacity of federal agencies to detect, deter and counter foreign meddling.

An emerging concern is whether party procedures can prevent foreign interference from tainting candidate nomination processes.

Elections Canada has suggested possible changes to protect the nomination process from interference, including barring non-citizens from helping choose candidates and requiring parties to publish contest rules.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 19, 2024.

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