Category: Police

Source: Government of Canada News

All democratic countries around the world face foreign interference in their electoral processes. Safeguarding the integrity of our elections is central to Canada’s national security and to the protection of our democracy.

The Government of Canada has robust measures in place to protect our democracy and Canadians from foreign interference so that Canada’s democracy remains one of the strongest in the world. This includes measures established under the Plan to Protect Canada’s Democracy, and several new and updated measures implemented since the last general election in 2021.

Security and intelligence

Canada’s security and intelligence organizations are at the frontline of Canada’s effort to combat foreign interference campaigns against our democratic institutions.

The Security and Intelligence Threats to Elections (SITE) Task Force, comprised of the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS), which is currently serving as Chair, the Communications Security Establishment Canada (CSE), Global Affairs Canada (GAC), and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), provides enhanced monitoring and assessment of foreign interference threats during the election period. The SITE Task Force is Canada’s principal mechanism to monitor the threat of foreign interference during elections. Since the 44th General Election, the scope of SITE was expanded to include monitoring domestic and violent extremism threats directed at elections, as well as electoral security.

Each SITE Task Force member agency works within their respective mandate to monitor and address election threats. During a general election, the SITE Task Force briefs the Panel administering the Critical Election Incident Public Protocol (CEIPP) on a regular basis.

The SITE Task Force assessments and advice are based on classified and unclassified intelligence collected on the threat environment around democratic processes and institutions. This includes intelligence about foreign threat actors’ intentions and activities relating to foreign interference, as well as any observations of threats of violent extremism directed at elections or by-elections.

Critical Election Incident Public Protocol (CEIPP)

During a federal general election, the CEIPP (the Protocol) outlines the process to notify Canadians of an incident or an accumulation of separate incidents impacting the election. The Protocol is limited to incidents that occur during the writ period and that do not fall within the mandate of the Chief Electoral Officer.

The Protocol is administered by a group of experienced senior Canadian public servants (the Panel) who, working with the information provided by national security agencies, jointly determine whether the threshold for informing Canadians has been met.

During the election period, the Panel is briefed regularly by the SITE Task Force. A public announcement would only take place if the Panel determines that an incident or an accumulation of incidents threatens Canada’s ability to have a free and fair election.

There are several considerations when making this determination:

• the degree to which the incident(s) undermine(s) Canadians’ ability to have a free and fair election;
• the potential of the incident(s) to undermine the credibility of the election; and
• the degree of confidence officials have in the intelligence or information.

The threshold is high to ensure that communication about an incident does not in and of itself disrupt or influence the election.

If the Panel decides to inform Canadians, the announcement would focus on:

1. the notification of the incident;
2. what is known about the incident (as deemed appropriate); and
3. steps Canadians should take to protect themselves if relevant.

The Panel began to prepare for this election in early 2024, and has been meeting on a regular basis to: 

Informed and engaged citizens

An informed and resilient public is the strongest defence against disinformation. The Government of Canada has tools and resources to help recognize and resist disinformation and foreign interference.  

Disinformation is a global issue that affects all democracies, and requires a response from all areas of society—governments, industry, civil society and citizens. The Government of Canada funds and supports Canadian research and civil society organizations to promote a healthy information ecosystem and help Canadians and the government understand online disinformation and its impact on Canadian society. For example, the government has contributed $38 million to more than 165 projects through the Digital Citizen Initiative (DCI) to build a base of evidence to identify potential action and develop future policy. Programs under the DCI support democracy and social inclusion in Canada by enhancing and supporting efforts to counter online disinformation and other online threats.

Open and ongoing communication

In accordance with a Ministerial Directive issued in May 2023, CSIS must advise members of Parliament (MPs) of credible threats against them or their families. This commitment aims to ensure the safety and security of parliamentarians in light of emerging risks. MPs may also receive security awareness or resiliency briefings from agencies including the RCMP, CSIS and CSE or threat-specific briefings, for example, on foreign interference or violent extremism under the Integrated Threat Assessment Center (ITAC)’s mandate on threats to public officials.

All of the major parties have identified points of contact who have been provided a clearance to receive threat information. At the drop of the writ, SITE members will provide baseline threat briefings to all of the parties. Throughout the general election, periodic updates will be provided, and if necessary, specific threat briefings can be provided.

Protecting voters

Voters may be targeted by foreign actors to overtly or covertly influence their vote. 

Foreign states can use deceptive, covert, and/or illegal methods to advance their interests in Canada to our detriment. These state activities can range from harassment and intimidation to direct threats against individuals or their loved ones. 

It is important for all individuals and groups living in Canada, regardless of their nationality and eligibility to vote in federal elections, to know that there are support mechanisms in place to help them when experiencing potential foreign interference or state-backed harassment and intimidation.

The RCMP and police of jurisdiction provide outreach and engagement to groups who may be at a higher risk of being targeted and will work together to maintain situational awareness of any threats targeting voters.

The public must remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity or information to local police or the RCMP.

Protecting candidates

Election candidates can be targets of cyber or physical threats during an election campaign. This can stem from foreign state actors who are trying to interfere in the election, or from those who might not agree with the candidate’s platform. Individuals who are the target of a physical threat should contact their local police of jurisdiction.

The government is committed to keeping candidates, their campaigns, and their personnel safe throughout the electoral process. With an increased risk of threats of violence and intimidation directed at Canadian public figures, security services are available to the Leaders of the Political Parties recognized in the House of Commons during the general election period and immediately following the election period.

Ahead of the general election, the SITE Task Force has provided general briefings, and will provide further briefings on foreign interference to security-cleared representatives of political parties represented in the House of Commons to help educate, increase awareness, and open two-way communication between SITE and the political parties. These briefings identified the tactics used by actors that engage in foreign interference, specific issues or trends, and how to protect against threats.

Anyone who feels threatened online or in person, should report these incidents to their local police. If there is a fear of an immediate threat, they should call 9-1-1 immediately.

Visit the Democratic Institutions website for more information on additional measures implemented by the Government of Canada to protect the general election.

MIL OSI Canada News –

Source: Government of Canada News

Disinformation is false information that is deliberately intended to mislead. Once a disinformation narrative is introduced into the information ecosystem, the goal is for it to be spread virally and unwittingly by others.

Disinformation is a constantly evolving threat that affects all democracies and impacts all parts of society in different ways. Countering disinformation is a global issue and requires a response from all areas of society—governments, industry, independent election administrators, civil society and citizens.

Successful democracies rely on:

• confidence in key institutions;
• trust and cooperation between citizens; and
• a shared understanding of basic facts.

Disinformation can damage each of these by attacking, polarizing, and misinforming people. At its worst, disinformation can lead to hate, violence and political harassment. Disinformation is also used by foreign states seeking to threaten the integrity of our elections, attack our sovereignty and undermine confidence in the results.

During this election, it is even more important for people living in Canada to be resilient to disinformation. Everyone is susceptible to disinformation. Think critically about the information you consume and take steps to make sure the information that you share is accurate and reliable.

Spotting disinformation

Disinformation can be hard to spot. Look for content that:

• Provokes an emotional response, particularly with negative or frightening claims.
• Exaggerates or distorts valid information.
• Manipulates photos or images by altering them or using them out of context.
• Makes bold or extreme statements on a controversial issue.
• Has been shared widely on platforms with a track record of spreading disinformation.
• Contains “clickbait”— sensational and purposefully misleading headlines, images, and videos meant to entice viewers to click on specific links.
• Makes claims that seem too good to be true.

Confirming it is disinformation

Confirm the original story

• Pause to consider the accuracy of content before drawing conclusions or sharing.
• Check to make sure that that the authors and sources are credible.
• Check to see if the source is real and if it has a good reputation.

Compare information from multiple sources

• Do a search to see if other news outlets are reporting the same story.
• Is the information current?
• Is the information relevant to current events?

Use fact-checking tools and services

See if the story has already debunked. Fact-checking tools:

Look at the design elements

• Does the design look out of place?
• Look for unprofessional logos, unusual colours, or odd spacing.

Use online search engines to verify information

• It helps to use key words such as “hoax,” “scam,” or “fake” in your search.
• Do a reverse image search to reveal if an image has been altered or copied from elsewhere on the internet.
  • To reverse search an image, copy the image, or the image’s URL into the search bar of an image search tool.

Validate domain names

• Check the link to see who is publishing the information.
• Does the link address match the official name of the organization?
• Are there typos in the link address?
• Do a search for the organization and follow the link. Does it direct you to the same place?

Spot fake social media accounts

• Check the profile photo: Do a reverse image search to see if the profile photo has been copied from somewhere else online.
• Look for recycled images: Fake accounts often rely on stock images and memes.
• Look for typos: Many spelling or grammar mistakes can be signs of a fake account.
• Look at the account profile: Is it new? Does it contain details about the person? If not, be wary.
• Look at the account engagements: Account owners can pay for fake engagement. If the comments seem random, contain only emojis, or all come from one person, the engagement may not be legitimate.
• Look at the follower-to-engagement ratio: Account owners can also pay for followers. If an account has thousands of followers but very little engagement, it’s likely fake.

Best Practices to Counter Online Disinformation   

1. Don’t share disinformation: The best thing you can do is nothing at all. By not sharing false content you are helping to stop the spread of online disinformation.
2. Promote a culture of accuracy: Demonstrate that you value the accuracy of information and encourage others to do the same. If you see information and have verified it is false, you can:
   1. Ask questions: Questioning content is almost as effective as correcting false information. If you don’t want to do this publicly, you can send a private message to ask “Are you sure?” or “Is that source reliable?”.
   2. Correct it: You can correct false information with accurate information from a reliable source. Be sure to show where it came from. You don’t have to repeat the bad information or tell anyone they are wrong, but instead share accurate information that shows the facts.
   3. Debunk it: If you can clearly show that the information is false, you can debunk it by saying it’s wrong and showing why. Don’t link to the false information or the original social media post. Use a screenshot instead.
3. Be aware and understand it: Equip yourself with the tools to identify disinformation. Understand how the internet and social media platforms work and possible efforts to manipulate the information you consume. Be vigilant when receiving information. Watch for the common signs of disinformation, including content that: makes an extraordinary claim; seems too good to be true; and has been shared widely on platforms with a track record of spreading disinformation.
4. Report it:
   1. All social media platforms give users a way to report disinformation, usually by clicking on the 3 dots and selecting “Report post”.
   2. Suspicious activities and any incidents of intimidation, harassment, coercion, or threats should be reported to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police’s (RCMP) National Security Information Network or local police jurisdiction:1-800-420-5805 / online form.
   3. Other suspicious incidents should be reported to the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS): 613-993-9620 or 1-800-267-7685 / online form.
   4. Reduce the risks associated with cyber threats to elections by reporting a cyber incident to the Canadian Centre for Cyber Security. Your information will enable the Cyber Centre cyber security advice, guidance and services.
   5. Report an offence committed under the Canada Elections Act to the Commissioner of Canada Elections, who is responsible for ensuring compliance with, and enforcement of, the Canada Elections Act. You can do so by completing an online form.

Resources

Government of Canada resources

Elections Canada resource

Non-government resources from across Canada

International resources

MIL OSI Canada News –