Government of Canada announces measures to protect by-elections from foreign interference

Minister LeBlanc announces that measures brought in to protect recent by-elections from any potential foreign interference will be applied to all future by-elections, ensuring Canadians can continue to have confidence in the strength and the resilience of our democracy.

Ottawa, Ontario, July 29, 2024 – Today, the Honourable Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions, and Intergovernmental Affairs, announced that moving forward, the measures brought in to protect recent by-elections from any potential foreign interference will be applied to all future by-elections, ensuring Canadians can continue to have confidence in the strength and the resilience of our democracy.

This means that the Security and Intelligence Threats to Elections (SITE) Task Force will not only provide enhanced monitoring and assessment of foreign interference threats during general elections, but also during all by-election periods. While the general procedures and enhanced monitoring process will remain the same for each by-election, the SITE Task Force continuously adapts its work in response to its findings as well as new and evolving threats and technology.

These measures will apply to the upcoming by-elections for the LaSalle–Émard–Verdun, as well as Elmwood-Transcona electoral districts, which will both be held on September 16, 2024.

The assessments produced by the SITE Task Force will be provided to the Deputy Minister Committee on Intelligence Response, which will stand ready to brief and advise ministers with mandates to combat foreign interference and protect Canada’s democratic institutions.

Lines of communications continue to be opened with designated representatives of political parties to ensure engagement, should it become necessary over the course of the by-election period.