Canada considers lowering alert threshold for foreign election interference

The Canadian government is considering lowering the threshold for alerting the public about foreign interference in elections. This change aims to improve communication regarding potential threats, as current standards are set high to avoid disrupting elections. Allen Sutherland from the Privy Council Office stated that the Critical Election Incident Public Protocol Panel is actively monitoring election interference. The government is also updating its election protection plan, which has not been revised since 2021, to address new threats, including those from artificial intelligence. The inquiry into foreign interference, led by Justice Marie-Josée Hogue, was initiated after allegations of Chinese interference in past elections. Hogue's initial report indicated that while some interference may have occurred, it did not impact overall election results.