A week of political debate over a shocking report that found some members of Parliament supported foreign interference in Canadian politics has solidified one point of agreement: the need to pass legislation banning foreign interference before the next federal election.
Bill C-70, known as the “Combating Foreign Interference Bill,” was introduced in early May and is currently before the parliamentary committee on public safety and national security.
Late last month, the opposition Conservative Party offered to help fast-track the bill so the measures are in place before the next federal election.
“The Conservative Party will work in good faith to ensure swift passage of Bill C-70 through the House of Commons while fully scrutinizing the bill’s contents,” Conservative foreign affairs critic Michael Chong said in a letter at the time.
In an interview Rosemary Barton Live In a televised address on Sunday, NDP MP Jenny Kwan, who said she was told by CSIS that she was being targeted by the Chinese government, said some amendments to the bill would be tabled but it needed to be in place before the next election.
“That process will unfold, but this law absolutely needs to be in place before the next election,” Kwan told CBC’s chief political correspondent Rosemary Barton.
The Bloc Quebecois told CBC News it plans to table several amendments to the bill, which was sent to committee for consideration by a unanimous vote late last month.
Bill C-70 would introduce new criminal provisions for deceptive and secrecy conduct, allow for broader sharing of classified information, and establish a Foreign Influence Transparency Registry.
Public Security Minister Dominic Leblanc was responding to a question about a report by the National Security Intelligence Parliamentary Committee (NSICOP) saying the government needed to take foreign interference more seriously.
The bill acknowledges that states may intervene to further foreign political objectives and may employ individuals to act on their behalf without disclosing their foreign ties.
A transparency registry would require certain individuals to register with the federal government in an effort to prevent such activity.
The government has said it wants to pass the bill quickly.
As for the parts of the bill that are under government control, Public Security Minister Leblanc said on Thursday during a hearing of parliament’s public security committee that “we will make sure that they are in place before the next elections.”
“We cannot control the Senate’s deliberations, but we will do everything in our power to ensure that these types of bills are given priority,” Virani said at the same committee meeting.
Political parties have so far agreed to fast-track the bill through the legislative process, but some groups have expressed concerns about the bill’s contents and the accelerated process.
David McGuinty, chairman of the Parliamentary National Security and Intelligence Committee, said that publishing the names of MPs accused of colluding with foreign governments could expose the committee’s report members and others to prosecution.
In a letter to the Public Safety Committee on Thursday, 14 private organizations expressed “deep concern” that lawmakers are wrapping up public hearings on the bill after just over a week.
The groups warned that Parliament’s unusually fast paced approach to the bill could result in flawed legislation that violates people’s rights.
“We need to protect our democracy, which means protecting our civil liberties and not rushing this bill before the current pitfalls have been properly addressed,” the National Council of Canadian Muslims said in a social media post.
The NCCM pointed out several problems with the bill, including an unclear definition of “threat” and expanding the powers of CSIS and the federal immigration minister.
