Canada Labels India As ‘Foreign Threat’ Over Alleged Election Meddling Amid Strained Ties: Report

Canada has named India as a ‘foreign threat’ capable of interfering in their elections, according to a declassified intelligence report accessed by Global News.

The report, titled ‘Foreign Interference and Elections: A National Security Assessment,’ identifies India as a potential threat to Canada’s democracy, citing concerns over foreign interference weakening democratic processes.

The report, dated October 2022, alleges that India’s involvement in election meddling poses a risk to Canada’s sovereignty and democratic values. This accusation marks the first time Canada has pointed fingers at India for election interference, joining China and Russia as countries facing similar allegations.

“We know that the PRC sought to clandestinely and deceptively influence the 2019 and 2021 federal elections,” it quoted the report, referring to the People’s Republic of China.

The parts of the document made public names no country, but other materials name India and China as top threats, the media said. It said foreign interference harms Canada and Canadians “by eroding sovereignty, democratic processes and values.”

“FI (foreign interference) activities incrementally weaken the fabric of Canadian democracy, subtly diminish the hard-won social cohesion of a multicultural society, and impinge on the Charter rights of Canadians,” it said.

Foreign interference, as defined in the report, utilizes secrecy and deception to influence public narratives and policy-making, posing a significant challenge to democratic norms. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has ordered an investigation into the claims made in the intelligence report.