Canada's first foreign influence transparency commissioner says the new foreign influence registry his office manages will help "build resilience" against foreign meddling in Canada's democracy.
Anton Boegman says the biggest challenge he faces in the new role will be ensuring the public understands the new federal transparency framework he's tasked with overseeing, which took effect this week.
Under the new regime, anyone who has an "arrangement" to help a foreign power influence Canadian politics must register their activities with his office by Oct. 3 — or face fines that could range from $250 to $1 million.
Boegman, who officially started in the new role this week, says his office already has received its first registration by a civil service group, though it's expected to eventually process around 2,000 registrations.
Boegman says foreign influence is a "normal part of international relations" and, when it's conducted transparently under the law, it's a legitimate activity.
His office will not deal with more covert and nefarious efforts by foreign actors to interfere with domestic politics and will leave those matters to the intelligence and national security agencies.
Picture Courtesy: THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang
