Canadian spy registry must be culturally sensitive

'To deal with threats to national security, we need agencies to be inclusive, diverse and culturally sensitive so Canadians can have trust and confidence that as we are taking actions to mitigate against threats to national security they believe we are consistently going to act in the national interest,' said Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino.

 Canadian spy registry must be culturally sensitive
The Canadian Press / Adrian Wyld
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Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino made the remarks about viewing spies through a careful cultural lens while testifying at the House of Commons Special Committee on Canada-China Relations.

A Conservative private members' bill, Bill S-237 An Act To Establish The Foreign Influence Registry, a Senate-originated bill, has languished in the upper chamber since February 2022.

The law would force the lobbyists and officials for a "foreign government, an individual or entity related to a foreign government," to disclose their relationship with the foreign actor or face $200k in fines and up to two years in jail.

According to Blacklock's, Canada is a laggard in identifying foreign lobbyists and spies:

Australia, in 2018, enacted a Foreign Influence Transparency Scheme Act to track foreign agents. The United States 85 years ago passed its own Foreign Agents Registration Act.

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  • By David Menzies

PETITION: Fire Marco Mendicino

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