Independent Special Rapporteur on Foreign Interference
On March 15, 2023, the government appointed the Right Honourable David Johnston as the Independent Special Rapporteur on Foreign Interference, a new role as part of a suite of measures to help combat foreign interference and strengthen confidence in our federal electoral process and democratic institutions.
Mr. Johnston is an accomplished Canadian public servant and law professor. He served as the 28th Governor General of Canada from 2010 to 2017, an important role in Canada’s democracy.
In this new role, Mr. Johnston has been given a wide mandate to look into the extent and impact of foreign interference in Canada’s electoral processes and make expert recommendations on how to further protect our democracy and uphold Canadians’ confidence in it.
Building on the work of the National Security and Intelligence Review Agency (NSIRA) and the National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians (NSICOP), both of which are also reviewing foreign interference in the last two elections, as well as other ongoing processes, Mr. Johnston is to identify any outstanding issues with a view of upholding Canadians' confidence in our democratic institutions and electoral processes.
As part of the mandate of the Independent Special Rapporteur, Mr. Johnston has been tasked to provide reports to the Prime Minister, to be shared with Opposition Leaders and Canadians, targeting completion of all work by October 31, 2023. On May 23, 2023, Mr. Johnston provided his interim report outlining recommendations on protecting and enhancing Canadians’ faith in our democracy.
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