New foreign influence office won't prevent foreign interference, commissioner says
Canada's new foreign influence watchdog, Anton Boegman, clarified that his office is designed for transparency rather than stopping covert foreign interference. He emphasized that national security agencies remain responsible for handling illegal interference activities.
Why it matters
The distinction between 'influence' and 'interference' is central to Canada's evolving strategy to protect its democratic processes from foreign actors.
In an interview with CBC News, Anton Boegman said there is a difference between foreign influence, which his office will monitor, and foreign interference — such as covert attempts to interfere in Canadian politics or government decisions.
There are also limits to what the new foreign influence office can do, he said.
"It's not going to solve foreign interference in Canada," Boegman responded when asked what his office will and won't be able to do.
"The transparency model and the new laws, you know, they're not designed necessarily to identify covert foreign influence ... or acts of transnational repression and things like that."
Former B.C. chief electoral officer poised to become Canada's first foreign influence watchdog
Instead, his office and Canada's first foreign influence registry will shed light on who is trying to influence decisions on behalf of a foreign government.
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