Federal government to raise $50 minimum fine for foreign interference

Those who contravene new rules against foreign interference in Canada could face a more expensive penalty, Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree told a parliamentary committee Thursday.

Anandasangaree said he will be amending the proposed rules governing the new regime to increase the minimum penalty offenders can face. But while it will be greater than the $50 fine originally proposed, Anandasangaree said he has not yet decided what threshold to set.

“$50 is the floor, $1,000,000 is the ceiling,” he later told reporters. “If you look at comparable registries, such as the ethics commissioner … their minimum fine, for lack of a better term, is $100.”

Anandasangaree said the level of fines imposed for infractions will be up to the new foreign influence transparency commissioner, based on a variety of factors such as whether someone knowingly breached the rules and if they have previous infractions. Anandasangaree said the change is one of several the government is weighing following comments from the public and opposition MPs on proposed regulations to create a regime to help protect Canada and Canadian elections from foreign interference.

Anandasangaree refused to disclose to reporters what other changes the government is contemplating, saying he hopes to get cabinet approval in a couple of weeks and then publish the changes in the Canada Gazette.

There is often a lag of several days between the time cabinet approves an order-in-council and when it is published and goes into effect.

Anandasangaree’s comments come a year-and-a-half after Parliament voted to create a system to police potential interference by those working on behalf of foreign countries. The legislation requires the government to name a foreign influence transparency commissioner and create a registry listing those who have made arrangements to work in Canada as agents on behalf of foreign governments.

In January 2025, an inquiry headed by Justice Marie-Josée Hogue concluded in its final report that transnational repression in Canada was a “genuine scourge” and that the People’s Republic of China was the “most active perpetrator of foreign interference targeting Canadian democratic institutions.”

Registry expected ‘early spring’

Anandasangaree said he has tabled notice of the government’s proposal to name former B.C chief electoral officer Anton Boegman as Canada’s first foreign interference transparency commissioner and hopes to have him ratified soon by the House of Commons and the Senate.

His goal is to have the commissioner’s office and the foreign agent registry running by “early spring” however Anandasangaree refused repeatedly to provide a more precise date.

Speaking to reporters after testifying before the House of Commons committee on procedure and House affairs, Anandasangaree said the new foreign interference regime will apply to all countries — including the United States.

“Foreign interference, if you look at the act and the registry, there’s no restriction on which country. So, if they fit the definition of supporting a foreign actor they will have register.”

However, Anandasangaree refused to say whether recent incidents such as meetings between U.S. State Department officials and supporters of Alberta’s separatist movement constitute foreign interference.

“I’m not going to speculate on that,” said Anandasangaree, beating a hasty retreat.

During the committee hearing, opposition MPs like Conservative Michael Cooper grilled Anandasangaree repeatedly on why it has taken so long since the legislation was adopted for government to name a commissioner, draft the regulations and create the registry.

Speaking to CBC News after the meeting, Cooper said the minimum fine for breaking the rules has to change.

“A $50 fine for example, in the regulations is completely inadequate,” he said. “It should be a lot more than $50.”

Asked what other changes he would like to see Cooper said “I’d like to see it up and running after two years of delay.”