Most Canadians want Ottawa to set up foreign-influence registry

Most Canadians want Ottawa to set up foreign-influence registry

ROBERT FIFE, OTTAWA BUREAU CHIEF, The Globe and Mail

OTTAWA
PUBLISHED 2 HOURS AGO, UPDATED 1 HOUR AGO

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/politics/article-china-russia-canada-foreign-influence-registry/

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A strong majority of Canadians favour a registry of foreign agents, similar to ones in Australia and the United States, to shed light on Canadian citizens paid to influence Canada’s political process on behalf of countries such as China or Russia.

A public-opinion survey by Nanos Research found that 88 per cent of Canadians support or somewhat support a foreign-influence registry. Only 7 per cent of those surveyed oppose or somewhat oppose having lawyers, lobbyists and retired politicians register when they take on paid roles for foreign governments and companies linked to these countries.

Ottawa is grappling with public warnings about foreign influence and interference campaigns from China. The Nanos poll, conducted Dec. 19-22 for The Globe and Mail, is a dual-frame hybrid telephone and online random survey that is accurate to within 3.1 percentage points plus or minus, 19 times out of 20.

“Transparency in terms of these kinds of foreign interests and also transparency in terms of Canadians who are working for the foreign interests is fair game,” said pollster Nik Nanos. “The reality is that if you are afraid to report that you have been working for a foreign country or a foreign organization, perhaps that should be a red flag.”


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