Elections task force watching Liberal race for signs of foreign interference

The upcoming Liberal Party leadership race in Canada will be closely monitored by the country’s elections intelligence task force to prevent any signs of foreign interference, according to national security adviser Nathalie Drouin.

Drouin emphasized the importance of maintaining the integrity of democratic processes, stating that while leadership campaigns are run by individual political parties, they play a crucial role in safeguarding the electoral process.

The Security and Intelligence Threats to Elections Task Force, established in 2019 to safeguard the electoral process from foreign interference, comprises representatives from CSIS, the RCMP, Global Affairs Canada, and the Communications Security Establishment Canada.

To combat voter fraud in the leadership race, the Liberal Party has implemented measures to restrict voting to party members who are permanent residents or citizens, or have status under the Indian Act. Previously, the party’s rules allowed any resident in Canada to vote in its leadership races, regardless of citizenship or residency status.

However, Wesley Wark, a senior fellow at the Centre for International Governance Innovation, highlighted that the party has not outlined plans for monitoring or publicly reporting any signs of foreign interference. He noted that while the current measures are commendable, they are incomplete.

The Liberal Party has not yet disclosed how it will collaborate with the elections intelligence task force. Azam Ishmael, the party’s national director, previously stated during a public inquiry into foreign interference that it would require a substantial number of individuals to compromise a national leadership vote, while a riding nomination race could be influenced by a smaller group.

Despite the low likelihood of interference in the Liberal race, Wark expressed concerns about the party’s lack of robust security measures for the leadership contest. He noted that the absence of identifiable candidates favorable to foreign actors reduces the risk.

The Liberal party recently announced that the vote to select its next leader, and subsequently Canada’s next prime minister, will conclude on March 9. The party is expected to address any potential threats to the integrity of the leadership race to ensure a fair and transparent process.