Public Hearings into Foreign Interference
Target Political Parties
On September 16, the Public Inquiry into Foreign Interference in Federal Electoral Processes and Democratic Institutions (the Inquiry) resumed its public hearings in Ottawa. Established in September 2023, the Inquiry held 15 days of public hearings in the first "fact-finding phase" of its hearings from January 29 to April 12. The current hearings which will continue until October 16 are referred to as the "policy phase." They will result in recommendations for reforms to existing laws and practices and/or new measures governing police and government agencies, as well as political parties.
The mandate of the Inquiry, headed by Quebec Court of Appeal Justice Marie-Josée Hogue, is to study allegations that the People's Republic of China, Russia, and "other foreign states or non-state actors" interfered in the 2019 and 2021 federal elections. It is also tasked with studying the flow of intelligence reports to government officials and the government's response to it, along with Canada's "institutional capacity to respond." Finally it has been directed to propose "any means for better protecting federal democratic processes from foreign interference that the Commissioner may consider appropriate."
The "fact-finding phase," among other things, examined allegations of foreign interference in the Ontario riding of Don Valley North. In the Inquiry's preliminary report, issued in May, Justice Hogue stated, "It is not the mandate of this Commission to determine what actually took place at the Don Valley North nomination meeting in 2019, and I would not be able to do so on the record before me in any event. However, this incident makes clear the extent to which nomination contests can be gateways for foreign states who wish to interfere in our democratic processes." She concluded that "nomination processes and their potential vulnerability to foreign interference is undoubtedly a question that will have to be carefully looked at in the second phase of the Commission's work."
Since its public hearings recommenced on September 16, representatives of the Bloc Québécois, the Conservatives, the Greens, the Liberals and NDP have appeared as witnesses, with a focus on questioning them about their counter-foreign interference practices and what they think about various measures which are said to serve as shields against foreign powers targeting them.
The parties were asked about their cyber-security practices, how they vet their nomination contestants, how they verify the identity of party membership applicants and contributors and how they monitor social media postings about the party or its MPs and candidates to determine if they are "foreign-based."
The proposals for new measures posed to the parties by the Inquiry included a legal requirement to notify Elections Canada in advance of a nomination contest; permitting only citizens to vote in both leadership and nomination contests; requiring parties to publicly post their nomination/leadership contest rules; publishing the full results of votes for nomination contestants; requiring all contestants to file a "full financial return" (currently only contestants who spend more than $1,000 must file a full return); prohibiting bulk party memberships; requiring a third party, such as Elections Canada, to administer nomination races; and extending the current regulations that apply only to elections, such as prohibitions against intimidating electors and fraudulent voting to nomination/leadership contests. Another proposal presented was for the parties to receive regular classified briefings so that they can be attuned to the "threat environment."
Such proposals would result in the further conversion of the cartel parties into appendages of the state. It would also be a further violation of the right of all registered political parties to freedom of association, which includes their right to determine their own internal policies and affairs.
This
party-centric approach to strengthening Canada's
electoral and
political process will further deepen the country's
political
crisis, a
central feature being the failure of its so-called major
political
parties to involve citizens, permanent residents and any
other
interested resident of
Canada in politics.
Why not introduce measures which permit Canadians to openly and publicly deliberate on matters of concern -- including the nomination and selection of candidates -- confident that they are not being disinformed because they can freely work things out for themselves? Canadians are certainly capable of determining what policies and proposals are in the interest of a nation-building project and what serves a foreign power.
One measure to empower Canadians would be to deprive political parties of state funding and instead use public funding to create and operate constituent associations open to all citizens and permanent residents to participate in political affairs. One of their purposes would be to make sure political parties act as primary organizations which link the people to governance, enabling constituents in a riding to set the agenda of what concerns them and provide society with a direction which favours them. If state funds which are said to support and enhance the democratic process were used for this purpose, Canadians would have something positive to participate in.
This article was published in
Volume 54
Number 9 - September 2024
Article Link:
https://cpcml.ca/Tmlm2024/Articles/M540092.HTM
Website: www.cpcml.ca Email: editor@cpcml.ca